By Renee Wood
Just before Christmas in 2017, two childhood friends who grew up in Chum Creek were holidaying with their families when a fire broke out at a Port Fairy Caravan Park.
Benjamin Martin and Benjamin Van der Burgt quickly ran to the cabin on fire and started to do all they could to stop the blaze and save surrounding cabins.
Mr Van der Burgt attempted to open the front door, but it was locked, discovering a teenage girl barricaded inside.
Mr Martin grabbed a nearby hose and began to douse the fire, as another man arrived to help the pair through several attempts to get inside to save the girl.
Mr Van der Burgt said the speed of the fire was frightening as it accelerated quickly jumping from one cabin to another.
“From the first moment that we realised it was going up – there was only minutes before it was fully engulfed. So it was very, very fast and we both had fears more cabins were going to go up quickly because it just started to spread rapidly,” Mr Van der Burgt said.
The friends then risked their own lives by going inside the cabin but they were forced back due to thick toxic smoke and the increasing heat.
Thankfully, the teenage girl was found at a small side window and was pulled to safety by the men – all while the guttering above their heads was engulfed in flames.
The burning cabin was consumed by flames as fire and ambulance services arrived and the young woman was taken to hospital.
“We just did what we felt we needed to do, it was reactionary that someone was in trouble and you help out.”
Mr Martin said two cabins were destroyed and two further cabins were later demolished due to fire damage.
“To be honest, it could have been quite tragic. Especially a few days before Christmas when it happened on the 21st of December – it could have been quite a different holiday for us all,” Mr Martin said.
The men’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed and the Senior Sergeant involved in the case nominated them for a Bravery Medal.
They were announced as Order of Australia Bravery Awards recipients in 2021 and were awarded the medal during a ceremony on Thursday 3 February by the Victorian Governor Honourable Linda Dessau AC at Government House.
The Governor said the ceremony provides the opportunity to recognise people who selflessly put themselves in jeopardy to protect the lives or the property of others.
“We hope that you can all feel proud and know that your communities profoundly grateful. Your actions go beyond just a moment in time, they emphasize the fundamental goodness amongst us, and they serve to inspire us,” The Governor said.
The pair were humbled to receive the medal and were grateful family members could attend the ceremony.
“It was quite nice to go to Government House and get presented officially with our medals as well as having our family members present,” Mr Martin said.
“It was some time after the event actually took place, so it was quite nice and quite humbling.”
Due to CovidSafe changes within the ceremony, medal recipients had to choose a family member to present the medal.
Mr Martin chose his mum Janette Martin to deliver the honour, while Mr Van der Burgt selected his dad Martin Van der Burgt.
Mr Van der Burgt said it wasn’t a hard decision choosing his dad, seeing as he was also a Bravery Medal recipient 25 years ago.
“It was a nice moment to connect with the old man and share something special between us – the Governor General was quite surprised because it’s extremely rare that you have a father and son citation 25 years apart.”
Martin Van der Burgt received a Bravery Medal after rescuing his neighbour, a hot air ballooner, in Chum Creek from a gas bottle explosion.
“He was just extremely proud that he was given the opportunity and just proud of what had happened in general.”
