Heater blamed for blaze

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
POWELLTOWN’s fire captain is warning residents to check their heaters over winter, after a house caught fire last week.
More than four people have already died in Victoria this winter due to house fires, and the CFA warns that number could rise if people aren’t careful.
Fire-fighters were called to the scene at about 3pm on Tuesday 19 July after a neighbour across the street heard a bang and saw smoke coming from the house, on the corner of Yarra Junction-Noojee Road and Recreation Road.
Little Yarra CFA captain Les Hart said it was lucky that the house was empty at the time.
“There are no tenants in there at the moment, but the new tenants were supposed to go in next Monday,” he said, adding there were no personal effects in the house either.
Capt Hart said it was suspected the cause was a wood fire in the house, but fire investigators were still exploring the scene.
“People had been in there doing some tidying up, but there was no power in the house so they lit the fire in the combustion stove,” he said.
“If the flue was defective or old or worn out, that’s what could have caused it.”
“People need to check the integrity of their heaters.”