Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority
Last Monday evening (23 March) Lilydale Fire Brigade was paged to a chimney fire in Kidgell Street, Lilydale.
The fire was called in by a neighbour who heard a smoke alarm activating inside the house. On investigating he noticed smoke and called 000.
Lilydale Fire Brigade members train on a Monday night, and coincidentally a truck and crew were travelling in the same street when the call was received. This enabled them to arrive at the house within a couple of minutes.
On arrival, the brigade noticed smoke coming from the chimney and out of the eaves. Lilydale Fire Brigade Captain Warren Davis approached the house and felt the locked front door, which was hot.
While standing at the door he heard a man inside the house call for help. Warren asked whether the man could get to a window, but he couldn’t. Warren then forced open the front door and two CFA members wearing breathing apparatus entered the dark, smoke-filled house and felt their way around the room until they found the man.
The firefighters dragged the soot-covered man to the front of the house where first-aid was commenced, and he was placed on oxygen until the ambulance arrived. he was then transported to hospital with suspected smoke inhalation.
The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen.
“This is a powerful reminder that working smoke alarms don’t just alert you, they can alert those around you too,” Warren said. “Without a working smoke alarm this incident could have had a very different outcome.”
| Submitted by | Sue Harley |
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