Churchill family Kirby Irwin, Jess Irwin and their children Makenna and Zander lose home days before Christmas due to battery fire in garage

A Churchill couple has been left heartbroken after a battery caught fire, destroyed their home and all the Christmas presents they had for their children.

Churchill locals Kirby and Jess Irwin have been left devastated after the home they were renting became “uninhabitable” after a battery caused a fire in their garage on Thursday, December 19, 2024. Picture: Supplied

A Gippsland family of four had the fright of their lives after a battery in their garage caught fire and almost fully destroyed their home, leaving their children with no presents to open on Christmas.

Churchill locals Kirby Irwin, 31, and Jess Irwin, 29, were renting in Churchill for almost five years with their children Makenna and Zander.

On Thursday night, while Jess was at a Christmas party, Kirby was putting the children to bed when all of a sudden she heard a loud “pop”.

She soon realised a fire had started in the garage that moved into the roof.

Anxious and concerned, Kirby grabbed her children, evacuated the house and called triple-0.

Firefighters found that a lawnmower battery had exploded, causing the fire and destroyed the family’s garage along with many valuable items. Picture: Supplied

Firefighters arrived at the scene and discovered a lawnmower battery had exploded, causing the blaze.

Kirby said the garage was destroyed and the family was “absolutely devastated” and “heartbroken”.

“The garage is completely burnt out and up into the ceiling,” she said.

“The entire house has been severely affected by smoke and the smell of the chemical extinguisher used by the fire brigade — there is also water damage to the ceiling from the fire being extinguished.

“(We are) overwhelmed at how we will replace everything after spending $20,000 going through the court system to have Jess put on Makenna’s birth certificate.”

Many items were unable to be retrieved due to smoke damage. Picture: Supplied

Kirby said while they were able to collect some of their clothing and other sentimental items, they were unsure what they would be able to “salvage” out of the house due to the smoke damage.

“All of our furniture including beds for us and the kids and (the couch) will need to be replaced and all of Makenna’s baby clothes were burnt in the garage along with a lot of other stored items,” she said.

Kirby added the overall damage to the home was worth about $15,000 and the pair did not have contents insurance.

The damage to the Kirby and Jess’s garage as a result of the battery fire. Picture: Supplied

No longer able to live in their property, the family have travelled up to Bundaberg in Queensland to spend Christmas with their loved ones.

“We are unable to fully enjoy Christmas with our family due to constantly knowing we have no home to go back to,” Kirby and Jess said.

“Our daughter and son have no presents for Christmas Day.”

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When the pair and their children return to Victoria, they will reside in Melbourne until they are able to find a new place to call home.

Kirby’s mum Karen has created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the family in helping them recover during this challenging time, and fundraiser has raised almost $5000.

“Anything you can spare will be much appreciated,” Karen wrote.