A WERRIBEE house burst into flames earlier this month, prompting firefighters to urge residents not to leave electrical appliances unattended.
Firefighters were called to the Bulban Rd home about 8pm on Friday 8 March. The two storey house was well alight when crews arrived and fire was spreading to the roof.
A CFA spokesperson said fire crews from Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Wyndham Vale and Corio brought the fire under control in about 20 minutes and remained on scene until after 10.30pm putting our hotspots and mopping up.
Fire damaged about one third of the second storey, and spread through bedrooms and the roof. Fire investigators attended and found the cause was likely to be an air conditioner or fan left unattended.
CFA spokesman Lachlan Redman said it was lucky no one was home at the time, but the incident showed how important it was to ensure all electrical appliances were switched off when unattended.
“With the hot weather continuing into next week, residents need to be aware of the risks associated with electrical appliances in the home. Fans and air conditioners should never be left on unattended or when no one is home,” Mr Redman said.
The damage caused by the fire was estimated to be valued at around $160,000.
Mr Redman said there had been a number of house fires in the district in recent weeks that had been a result of fans and air conditioners left on when no one was home.
Last Monday a brick garage in Cottrell St Werribee was also damaged by fire.
