‘EVERYTHING IS RUINED’: What’s left after Philip St fire
BILL Spangen was looking forward to the festive season with family but just weeks before Christmas he’s been left with almost nothing.
Gladstone
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BILL SPANGEN was looking forward to the festive season with family but just weeks before Christmas he's been left with almost nothing.
On Sunday night his Philip Street home was gutted by fire.
Emergency services attended the address at 5.30pm to find the house fully alight.
It took 40 minutes to extinguish the blaze.
Still in shock today, Mr Spangen was looking through the wreckage of his home for the few items he could salvage.
"I was hoping to spend Christmas with my family, but now I haven't got anything for them," Mr Spangen.
"Everything is pretty much ruined."
Bill was out at a friend's place when his downstairs neighbour sounded the alarm.
"I thought he was having a go at first," Mr Spangen said.
"When I got here and looked at it, and I thought holy."
Mr Spangen said this was not the first time his family had been affected by a fire, with his daughter's home also damaged in a blaze a few years ago.
Amid the ruins Mr Spangen couldn't believe what had happened to his home but was pleased to able to recover some of his coin collection.
"They're quite hard to get... I'll have to give them a wash," he said.
QFES Gladstone Station Officer Quinn Cramer said the incident served as a timely reminder for people to check smoke alarms and ensure bushfire survival plans are in place during these heightened conditions.
Gladstone Police Detective Senior Sergeant Tony Andersen said police were investigating the cause of the blaze.
A Queensland Police spokeswoman said a crime scene was declared and police are treating it as suspicious.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or PoliceLink on 131 444.
Originally published as ‘EVERYTHING IS RUINED’: What’s left after Philip St fire
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