“Last Tuesday morning about 6.45 I got a phone call from my son, Matt. He doesn’t usually call that time of the morning so I said, What’s going on? He said ‘I’m watching my house burn down Dad!’ It started at 5.15am that morning.
Our 13 year old grandaughter was woken up by their pet cockatoo screeching on the front verandah. She got up to see why it was freaking out and she saw the fire at the end of the verandah. She raced back in to Matt and said ‘Dad, wake up quick, there’s a small fire on the front verandah.’ He pulled his shorts on and raced out to his truck to get a fire extinguisher but in less than a minute the fire had taken up the whole verandah and up the walls. Down the other end of the verandah were double doors and just inside was our 9 year old grandson sleeping. By the time they grabbed him his blankets were on fire. Luckily they got him out without burns.
Inside the house were 3 of their pet dogs and they didn’t get out in time. They had another 5 pet dogs in a pen for the night outside the house and they didnt make it either. They opened the gate to let them out but in the panic they all ran back in.
Matt and Claire and their four children escaped. The children ran out the back door with their mum and Matt went back in to make sure everyone was out. He tried to get his dogs out but the flames and the smoke were too much. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see. While he was doing that his wife Claire had gone around the front to try and save the birds. She only saved one and while she was trying to save Jed the cockatoo my 15 year old grandaughter had to physically grab her and pull her away. Claire ended up with burns on her back, her fingers and a small burn on her arm. She was taken to hospital but is out now.
Everything is gone. All their birth certificates, photos, licenses, computers, phones, absolutely everything. Matt has a tow truck and all his business papers, computers. all gone. He got out with a pair of shorts on and an old pair of joggers and the kids and their mum got out with only their pyjamas, no slippers, nothing. Just devastating..the kids lost all their pets. They also had a little childrens python and a blue tongue lizard, all gone.
They have been overwhelmed with clothes for everyone which is wonderful but the only one who missed out was Claire. Everyone else were given more than enough in the way of clothing which was kindly donated. Claire is a Size 14 if anyone wants to help.
Police are still investigating but the damage is so bad they may not ever find what started it. There were no gas bottles or electricity down that end of the verandah.
They are all completely shattered. The photos of Claire’s mum and all the trinkets that had been handed down before she died… the whole lot burnt. If Kelly the 13 year old hadn’t heard Jed and she hadn’t woken everyone up, 2 minutes later they would have all gone.”
(A Gofundme page has been set up for the family and even though they were only asking for $5000 let’s see if we can up that a bit. No amount is too small so if you can help in any way I know it will be greatly appreciated. x)