CFA is urging Victorians to reduce household clutter following a recent fire that destroyed a unit and damaged another in Ararat.
Firefighters were called to the incident at approximately 10.31pm on Tuesday 26 May, arriving to find one unit fully engulfed in fire, with flames extending to an adjoining property.
The cause of the fire was undetermined due to several possible causes, with a high fuel load inside the unit contributing to the intensity and spread of the blaze.
Multiple overloaded power boards were also found within the fire-affected unit during the investigation.
Incident Controller and Ararat Fire Brigade Captain Ash Turnham said crews encountered an intense fire on arrival.
“When we arrived, flames were already coming through the front windows, front door and roof. It was an extremely aggressive fire,” Ash said.
Working from a safe distance, firefighters managed to quickly suppress the fire before spending several hours conducting intensive internal searches for hot spots.
Ash said the large amount of combustible material within the home contributed significantly to the fire’s intensity.
“The high fuel load definitely made the fire more intense,” he said.
“Without it, the fire may not have spread through the roof or impacted the neighbouring unit.
“A high fuel load puts the people living there at greater risk, but it also makes conditions far more dangerous for firefighters responding to the incident.
“If your house fills with smoke in the middle of the night, you need to be able to get out quickly.
“When exits and pathways are blocked by clutter, that becomes much more difficult.
“We all lead busy lives, but finding some time to remove excess clutter from your home could make a significant difference if a fire was to break out.”
A working smoke alarm in the neighbouring unit activated during the incident, alerting the resident to the fire and prompting a call to Triple Zero (000).
“In this case, a working smoke alarm alerted the neighbour to the fire, allowing emergency services to be notified quickly,” Ash said.
“Smoke alarms save lives by providing an early warning and giving people valuable time to act.”
Reducing excessive fuel load in the home
- Keep exits and hallways clear.
- Widen internal pathways throughout the home.
- Ensure gas, electricity and other utilities are safely connected.
- Keep cooking areas free from clutter.
- Remove combustible materials from around heaters and electrical equipment.
- Avoid the use of open flames where possible.
- Install and regularly test smoke alarms.