Firefighters battle Humble St home blaze as smoke engulfs East Geelong
A young mum was left in tears after finding her house billowing plumes of smoke that engulfed East Geelong.
A young mother has been left heartbroken after returning from a morning walk with her toddler to find their East Geelong home ravaged by fire.
Firefighters were called to a Humble St property, located just off Ormond Rd, at 10.35am on Thursday as smoke billowed from the roof of the building.
Witness Gareth Jones said he had been working across the road at Eastern Cemetery, when a thick black cloud engulfed the street.
“I was parked for not even ten minutes, it went from nothing to the whole street in smoke,” he said.
Mr Jones said an employee at a disability centre that backs onto the house rescued their dog while onlookers called triple-0.
The occupant and her young child were out on a walk when the fire broke out and returned to find firefighters at work.
A Fire Rescue Victoria spokeswoman said the blaze took nearly 20 minutes to get under control.
Police also attended the scene to help with traffic management and power and gas companies have been notified.
Neighbour Annalise McAuliffe said she was stopped in her tracks by the cloud of smoke.
“It was covering the street,” she said.
“I thought it was someone pressure hosing the roof, it was like mist.”
Neighbours were seen bringing toys out for the toddler while a policewoman played the sirens to entertain the child.
It comes as two elderly men were rescued from a house fire in Portarlington on Wednesday night.
The men – aged in their seventies and eighties – were hospitalised.
Owner of the Drysdale St home Peter Benney said his tenant was now recovering in hospital after he was rescued by “hero neighbour” Tony Brown.
“The lady across the road saw a flicker at the side of the house, and she rang Tony Brown next door,” Mr Benney said.
“Tony is in his seventies and has health issues of his own, but he ran around the back of the house and saw it filled with smoke.
“He ran right in there and dragged him out by his feet.”
Mr Brown said he’s not a hero.
“It was automatic,” he said.
“The smoke was so thick you couldn’t see a thing except for the flames licking up from the roof.
“My only thought was ‘I gotta get him out’ because I know how incapacitated he is physically,” he said.
Mr Benney said, I’m an ex-cop and I know lots of people wouldn’t have had the guts, he’s a hero.”
Mr Brown was taken to hospital after inhaling smoke.
The tenant is expected to be released tomorrow.
Originally published as Firefighters battle Humble St home blaze as smoke engulfs East Geelong
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