Family lose everything to 15m inferno

A devastated family has lost everything after a terrifying fire flattened their central Queensland property, which had been their home for 20 years. They’d had just 15 minutes’ warning to flee.

A FAMILY has lost everything after a terrifying fire flattened their property outside Rockhampton.

Stephen and Fiona Dailey fled their hilltop home at Kabra, about 20km west of Rockhampton on Wednesday afternoon as flames as high as 15m roared towards them.

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They returned this morning to find their home of 20 years in ruins.

Mr Dailey fought back tears as he surveyed the devastation.

Stephen Dailey stands in front of what was his house. Picture: Vanessa Marsh

“What do you say?” he said.

“We got 15 minutes warning (from authorities) but I could see it coming. It turned and came up the hill at about a hundred miles an hour.

“It was over that hill and then it was here.”

The family lost everything in the ferocious blaze. Picture: Vanessa Marsh

The Daileys grabbed what they could including their caravan and fled as their property was engulfed.

Son-in-law Dan Richards, who lives in a house on the flats of the 97ha property with wife Emma and their three young children, was trapped and could only watch on helplessly as his in-laws’ place went up in flames.

“The wife and kids were in town, luckily,” he said.

“It was the scariest sh*t I’ve ever seen. A fireball came up that hill so fast.

“My neighbour was in tears and I went over and we managed to save her house. But nothing could save this. No amount of water would have stopped this, it was just a fireball.”

The family lost everything in the ferocious blaze. Picture: Vanessa Marsh