Woori Yallockâs Ben Holman rescues woman and dogs in Ringwood, Montgomery Street fire
A man has revealed how he acted on instinct to save a Ringwood woman and her dogs while a house fire roared around them. Read his story.
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UPDATE: A tradie has told how he rushed from a nearby electrical shop to smash a window and rescue a woman and her dogs from their burning Ringwood home.
Ben Holman, of Woori Yallock, was on the scene within 30 seconds of the fire breaking out at a unit in Montgomery St about 4pm on Wednesday, July 15.
Mr Holman said he acted on instinct and smashed a bedroom window to reach the woman’s dogs, which were hiding under the bed and surrounded by thick black smoke.
He passed them to a neighbour helping outside, then put the woman on his shoulders and carried her to safety.
“She was in there trying to lift the bed up, but the room was that black with smoke I couldn’t see her,” Mr Holman said.
“She was hysterical, grateful and thankful for helping get her dogs out … and within a couple of minutes the fire brigade was there, and the whole house was going.
“There were flames coming out of the roof and the windows for all the other rooms.”
Mr Holman said he was uninjured in the incident and left shortly after police arrived and went back to work.
He said he didn’t feel like a hero despite his brave and potentially lifesaving efforts.
“I just did what had to be done at the time,” Mr Holman said.
“It was like something out of a movie, I’ve stopped at a couple (of fires) before, but I haven’t got as involved as that.
“I hope her and her dogs are all right, and thanks to the other unknown neighbour who helped.”
Firefighters from seven crews responded to the unit blaze — which was under control within 20 minutes — near the Ringwood Bypass at 4pm on Wednesday, July 15.
The woman was taken by paramedics to Maroondah Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, while her dogs were collected by friends.
Maroondah Leader understands the woman was released shortly after she arrived.
Police blocked off Montgomery St to residents and traffic for 90 minutes until the scene was cleared.
Fire Rescue Victoria eastern district commander Tony McCoy said firefighters arrived to find the unit “well alight” with fire coming out of the roof eaves and the kitchen destroyed.
Mr McCoy said the unit was not fitted with a working smoke alarm.
“If this fire broke out at night, it could have been a much different story,” he said.
Mr McCoy said the cause of the fire was not suspicious and it did not impact any of the four other units at the address.
He said authorities would continue their investigations into the fire on Thursday.
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