By Margaret Maccoll
Three piles of smouldering blackened rubble half buried under collapsed roofs were all that remained of a lifetime of memories for three Noosa North Shore families after fire tore through their houses about 1pm on Saturday.
The flames that were highly visible from across the river at Tewantin were fanned by 30 knot winds and leapt from house to house from a fire, residents believed, started from a power tool.
Rural fire officers were first on the scene, describing it as “pandemonium”.
Firefighter Brendan Riches said they were hampered by the remoteness of the location, high winds and a lack of water.
It took them about 20 minutes to cross the North Shore ferry with three fire units, then travel the dirt road to find three houses totally engulfed.
“We thought we were going to one structure, there were three,” he said.
Brendan said they immediately called for back-up and pumped water from the only available source, the river.
“We made sure everyone was out of the houses and protected what was left,” he said.
The two houses on either side were saved, sustaining some damage.
Neighbours gathered to offer assistance and accommodation to those affected, and were only too aware the fire could very well have taken their homes.
“The firemen told me to pack a bag in case the winds changed direction,” neighbour Judith Hayward said.
“But what do you pack?”
“I’m just thinking no one was hurt.”
Judith came to help but there was nothing anyone could do.
“It’s such a frightening experience. You just feel helpless,” she said.
Some homeowners were visibly shocked by the event.
Mike and Lynne Hancock, who lived in the middle house, were celebrating their grandson’s fourth birthday at Australia Zoo when they received a call from a neighbour telling them their house was on fire.
“We came home and it was gone,” Lynne said.
“The only thing that’s really upsetting is the original painting of our son. He was 22 when we lost him. We can’t get that back.
“We can get most of our photos back.
“At least no one died.”
Lynne said they’d been offered numerous places to stay and clothing.
Jason Styles of Makepeace Island phoned his boss Virgin Australia CEO Brett Godfrey who offered all affected a room at the resort while they sort things out.
Mike is the local Rural Fire service first officer. He felt regret he wasn’t home.
With a fire extinguisher on his back deck, he might have been able to put it out before it took hold, he said.
Only last week the rural brigade burnt back bushland across the road to safeguard them from the high possibility of bushfire in such dry, warm conditions.
