Gunalda house fire leaves family devastated

A devastated couple, caring for their three grandchildren when a freak storm hit, has been left homeless at Christmas after a fire tore through their property between Gympie and the Fraser Coast.

A Gunalda family has been left devastated this Christmas after a raging house fire, believed to have been sparked by a freak storm, destroyed their family home.

Fiona and Johannes Plane were at home with their three grandchildren when the fire broke out at 3.30pm on Thursday afternoon in the small town between Gympie and the Fraser Coast.

Their daughter, Juanita, told the Gympie Times of the moment she got the call.

“My nephew walked out to my mum and said, ‘Nonna I smell smoke, something smells really yucky in the house’ and when she walked back into his room it was just engulfed in flames,” Mrs Plane said

A Queensland Fire and Rescue Service spokesman confirmed there were two fire crews on the scene along with the police and paramedics.

“Upon arrival, the house was well engulfed in flames and was alight,” he said.

All the occupants were outside of the house when firefighters arrived.

The fire was officially deemed under control almost an hour later at 4.20pm.

When the fire was put out, the reality set in for the Plane family.

“My mum couldn’t even talk to me,” she said

“When she called me she seemed really calm at first but when she started talking about it she started bawling her eyes out and had to hand it over to my dad.”

The family is currently staying at a hotel in the Gympie region.

“They just can’t believe it. Two big presents had just arrived that day for my nieces and nephews and it’s all gone,” said Ms Plane tearily.

The family had also just bought a new freezer and bed sets for the kids.

“My dad had just picked them up on Wednesday from Brisbane,” she said.

The firefighters told the family an investigation was underway to find what initiated the fire, but believed it could have been sparked by a storm.

“They believe the lightning has hit a power pole or a power line somewhere, and because the power in the house was really old it’s sparked up and lit the house,” said Ms Plane.

The QFES spokesman confirmed the flames were so large they had gone through the roof.

“The property now has significant damage and appears to have collapsed.”

The family has set up a GoFundMe link to assist with rebuilding the house, which you can view here.