A mother saved her two children and their family home from a fire which broke out in a bedroom Monday morning.
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She was quick to react after the smoke detector went off in her Baxter Court house in Lavington about 7.30am, alerting her to fire in the bedroom occupied by two children aged between two and four years old.
Fire and Rescue Inspector Phil Eberle said her quick thinking contained the fire to just the one room.
“The mother’s closed the door, started organising to get the family outside,” he said.
“It’s all happened very quickly - this happens in a minute, two minutes. She’s done a great job, closed it down, locked it up and called us.”
About 15 firefighters attended the scene, where they could focus on putting the fire out in the bedroom.
“There’s been some personal belongings lost, but there’s been a lot of personal belongings saved because of the actions initially,” Inspector Eberle said.
He said the mother suffered minor injuries when she went back into the house to try to put out the fire and was taken to Albury hospital.
Another Lavington house, in Boomerang Drive, was completely destroyed at 11.30pm Sunday in what police and Fire and Rescue say was a suspicious fire.
Jim Rose, who lives across the road, said the commission house had been empty for the past two months.
“We woke up to the sound of the roaring flames, we came outside and called triple zero … it was ‘woof’ and up she went,” he said.
“It’s serious enough, but it’s a bit better that there wasn’t anyone home.”
Inspector Eberle said the derelict house could not be saved, so firefighters ensured the fire did not spread to neighbouring homes.
He said investigations would focus on whether the fire was deliberately lit or started by a squatter.
Albury Inspector Winston Woodward said police were investigating the cause.
“Until we have forensic investigators inside, along with Albury detectives, we won’t be able to determine the cause of the fire – whether it was an accelerant used or not,” he said.
“We’re asking anyone in the area to notify Albury police or Crime Stoppers if they do happen to have any information or have seen anything suspicious.”
A third fire in Walla at 5.30pm Sunday was contained to stove damage.
Duty officer John Osmond said 10 Rural Fire Service members attended and stopped the fire with an extinguisher and blanket,
The occupants were checked for smoke inhalation, but no one was injured.
