NSW Bushfires: asbestos next threat for Batlow battlers
Batlow homes were still burning on Sunday morning as exhausted fire crews worked around the clock on a mission to save homes and prevent another death.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Explosions from a flaming fuel station were still rocking Australia’s apple capital at sunrise as the bushfire-ravaged NSW town woke up to property devastation and death.
The nightmare is far from over for the battlers of Batlow, a village in the state’s southwest which was surrounded by a mega-blaze that authorities warned couldn’t be stopped on Saturday.
A 47-year-old Goulburn man died of a heart attack trying to save a mate’s home on the town’s outskirts while exhausted firefighters and remaining locals scrambled to put out spot fires in the smoke-choked evacuated streets.
With temperatures still in the high 30s at midnight, a dozen shell-shocked residents wearing thongs and footy shorts gathered at the Batlow pub to drink a beer and swap survival stories by a generator light.
Just when the banter started flowing, another two houses went up in flames down the road and their tired faces gleamed red in the flashing siren lights of firetrucks approaching in the darkness.
With no power, food, drinking water, reception or accommodation, one departing fire crew picked up a case of beer from the pub for the drive back to the nearby town of Tumut.
They faced a perilous journey with roads surrounding Batlow strewn with fallen trees, downed power lines and scores of dead livestock.
NSW Fire and Rescue says asbestos would be a new risk for locals returning to around 20 homes that were razed to the ground, but crews haven’t been to many properties on the town’s outskirts that were severely impacted by fire.
Goulburn Duty Commander Dean Campbell was surprised most of Batlow’s significant infrastructure including the hospital and primary schools were unscathed.
“The boys worked pretty hard, they’re all starting to get a bit tired now,” he said.
“But they certainly got on top of it, and saved a lot of property. It’s amazing really.”
Local Jaimie Gould ignored orders to flee and instead defended his home on Bonza Crescent while his 16-year-old son Jack hosed down spot fires on their neighbour’s lawn.
Mr Gould said when his son checked whether his girlfriend’s nearby house was still standing, the shed was fully ablaze and the home’s roof corner was on fire.
“I got this garden hose from the neighbours, and I could pee harder, to be honest. Jack was on the roof and I’m passing buckets up to him,” Mr Gould said.
Later Jack and his two younger siblings Rayleigh, 14, and Riley, 13, took shelter in a neighbour’s bunker when 90kg gas bottles exploded at a property directly opposite them.
“Some windows shattered on the side of the house, the bang was just so loud,” Rayleigh said.
“My heart was beating so fast, but staying calm was the best thing to do.”
Father and son Batlow RFS volunteers Michael and Edmond Blenkins have been working alongside Roger Watkins since 6am on Saturday with only three hours’ sleep.
The trio was still putting out small fires in town on Sunday morning as they assessed wreckage from several houses.
“Last night was like a bomb went off. The radio’s going mad, but you can only be in so many places,” Mr Watkins said.
Looking at 18-year-old Edmond’s bloodstained uniform, the 12-year veteran said: “I’ll make a firefighter out of this young fella.”
“Poor old mate was just knackered at 1am and blood started coming out of his nose,” Mr Watkins said.
With the mop up only beginning, Michael Blenkins urged the wider Australian community to extend their goodwill and sympathy by backing the local economy.
“We need to support Batlow apples and ciders and any produce coming out of the area to keep the town going now,” he said.
Anne Hallard has lost her farmstay property in Batlow, which she purchased about 15 years ago so she could reconnect to the township of her birth and childhood.
Brindabella Farmstay is on Batlow Rd just minutes from the famous apple town, with extensive views towards the east.
“The fire just cut the house. It’s totally destroyed,” Ms Hallard said.
She was staying with friend Jenny Oliver in Lacmalac last night and received the devastating news from a Batlow firefighter this morning.
While living and working in Sydney, Hallard created the Batlow property to become Brindabella Farmstay, a landmark in the area. Along the way, she engaged many people in the town to work there.
In November she celebrated her birthday with friends and family at Brindabella Farmstay, where a local DJ played music, and local businesses were engaged to provide food and other services.
A shattered Ms Hallard said the four bedroom homestead on Brindabella Farmstay had been wiped out, along with its surrounding gardens, although some sheds had survived.
She had removed many heirlooms on Friday, although was unable to take them all away before the firestorm hit.
Cattle on the property miraculously survived. Ms Hallard was agisting them for a farmer who lives in Nangus, because his land was so poor he could no longer feed them.
“The guy who owns the cattle got up there last night,” Ms Hallard said this morning.
“He managed to secure the cattle ok. He thinks they managed to get out of danger and looked after themselves.”
But the fire destroyed most of what it has taken Ms Hallard 15 years to build up.