Rural fireys’ reluctance to accept Fire and Rescue NSW help has had devastating and far reaching effects

EXPLOSIVE new details and leaked audio reveal how far-reaching the civil war between the state’s volunteer and career firefighters has become — with houses burning down as agencies bicker over who should respond to emergencies.

FIRES are escalating and properties destroyed as a result of the dispute between the Rural Fire Service and Fire And Rescue NSW over which agency should respond to emergency situations.

Just days after The Daily Telegraph revealed claims the Rural Fire Service declined offers of help from the FRNSW before the town of Tathra was ravaged by a bushfire, explosive new allegations show how other delays in calling the FRNSW have threatened lives and resulted in properties being razed to the ground.

Peter Inkster recovered his 84-year-old mother-in-law’s statue from her burnt out Tathra property on Wednesday. Picture: Gary Ramage

The statue still standing in the ruins of the property four days after the disastrous fire. Picture: Gary Ramage

Port Macquarie Police Inspector Chris Hardwick lodged a complaint, which was referred to Police Minister Troy Grant, when his kitchen caught fire three months ago and delays in calling Fire And Rescue NSW left his property with major damage.

The RFS took 18 minutes to show up to the December 3 blaze while Fire And Rescue NSW took 12 minutes — but were called only nine minutes after it broke out.

With the fire raging in his home and smoke billowing for 18 minutes before any fire services arrived on the scene, two people inside, aged 50 and 40, had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies, the Rural Fire Service is required to formally accept an offer of assistance from Fire And Rescue ­before the government agency is able to respond to emergencies.

Mr Grant’s spokesman said he had responded to the complaint from Mr Hardwick and launched a Boundary Review into the area.

“Both agencies are working closely together, and have agreed to respond jointly to structure fires within the Boundary ­Review area for the duration of the review,” he said.

When a grass fire broke out at 78-year-old Maxwell French’s property in Taree on August 7, 2017, the RFS took more than 22 minutes to respond.

Maxwell French, 78, surveys the wreckage of his shed and classic cars. Picture: Nathan Edwards

Mr French said he was lucky the wind wasn’t blowing in the opposite direction on the day or he would have lost his house as well. Picture: Nathan Edwards

By then 11 prized vehicles from his classic car collection, including a Kombi and two VW Beetles, were destroyed along with a large shed.

Audio listened to by The Daily Telegraph reveals the RFS initially requested the help of FRNSW when there were reports of thick, black smoke and explosions, only to call back and tell them they were no longer needed.

“Mate, incident 132724, we originally had you going with us,” an RFS respondent, whose name The Daily Telegraph has chosen not to publish, says.

“You’re no longer required, mate.”

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The Fire And Rescue ­respondent said: “We’re not required, cool ... Thank you.”

Mr French, who is grateful to the volunteer firefighters, said he was lucky the wind was blowing in the opposite ­direction or he would have also lost his house in the fire.

“I probably lost $150,000 worth of stuff.

“It was a big shed and I’ve been collecting cars and junk all my life,” he said.

“Both brigades are about the same distance from my house. They’re not far away from each other in town.

Mr French estimated he lost about $150,000 worth of stuff. Picture: Nathan Edwards

Mr French’s prized shed and classic cars were completely destroyed. Picture: Nathan Edwards

“It took about 20 minutes or a half-hour for them to turn up.”

And in August 2014 several premises in the main street of Nimbin burnt down, including the town’s museum and the Rainbow Cafe.

RFS is understood to have declined up to three offers of assistance from Lismore and Casino Fire Rescue NSW, which were made due to the high volume of triple-0 calls coming through. By the time Fire And Rescue were given permission to attend the fire, it was too late and five shops had been destroyed.

Tathra has begun the clean up after a bushfire ripped through the town on Sunday. Picture Gary Ramage

Incident logs regarding the Nimbin blaze have been ­removed from the Fire And Rescue NSW system.

Mr Grant said all three incidents raised by The Daily Telegraph would be investigated by the inquiry former police commissioner Mick Keelty is heading up in the wake of Sunday’s Tathra fires.

But he would not name a date that the inquiry would commence.

“The review will cover both the response to the Bega Valley fire, and the call taking and dispatch ­arrangements of our fire services across the state,” he said.