Glen Waverley: Bambou Early Learning Centre evacuated due to fire

Children and staff were forced to take cover at a Glen Waverley childcare centre after a neighbouring house went up in flames.

30 firefighters rushed to extinguish the house fire on Ascot Crt, Glen Waverley.

Children and staff were forced to take cover at a Glen Waverley childcare centre this morning after a neighbouring house went up in flames.

Bambou Early Learning Centre supervisor Jackie Collier said she could see “really large flames” behind the centre as she was arriving at work, while smoke surrounded the building.

The roof of a house on Ascot Crt — the road directly behind the Blackburn Rd childcare centre — was on fire alight with “very high” flames.

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The MFB received several calls about the incident about 9.14am before 30 firefighters in five fire trucks, a helicopter and four other rescue units rushed to the scene.

The fire occurred in Ascot Crt, just behind Bambou Early Learning Centre.

Firefighters confirmed no one was inside the house.

Ms Collier said all the children had to be evacuated to a room at the front of the premises and staff prepared to relocate the group to a plant nursery down the road.

“We could see a lot of smoke,” she said.

Ms Collier said the flames were so high they could easily be seen from the Pinewood Village shops on Blackburn Rd.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control within 37 minutes.

Ms Collier said the children sang songs and were “happy and fine” during the incident, having regularly practised fire evacuations.

“It was a bit of excitement for them really, with all the firefighters,” she said.

She said one of the room at the centre was not being used because it smelt of smoke, but otherwise everything was back to normal.

She said the roof of the burnt house was “really damaged” and had “all caved in”.

The MFB said the cause of the fire was unknown.

The owner was not home when the fire started.