GoFundMe started for family after fire destroys home on Gibson Court Altona Meadows
The family devastated by a house fire in Melbourne’s west this week has been overwhelmed by the community’s support with over $7000 already donated through GoFundMe.
Wyndham Leader
Don't miss out on the headlines from Wyndham Leader. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The family devastated by a house fire in Melbourne’s west this week has been overwhelmed by the community’s support with over $7000 already donated through GoFundMe.
Julie Giles and her three children were left with nothing after the blaze decimated their Altona Meadows home on Tuesday afternoon.
Daughter, Hayley has created the donation page after a number of people asked how the could best help the family.
In the post, Hayley said it would be great to get them on their feet.
“My family was recently involved in a devastating house fire which has left them with nothing,” she said.
“My mother and her two teenage children are thankfully safe,”
“We have been lucky enough to receive a lot of help within the community with clothes and essentials.”
As of Friday morning, the community had already raised $7,425 with the original target being $5000.
This comes after Julie Giles and her three teenage children escaped just before their home in Melbourne’s west went up in flames, causing extensive damage.
Emergency services received multiple calls after neighbours saw flames coming from a house on Gibson Court Altona Meadows at 1.45pm on Tuesday.
Fire Rescue Victoria Commander Joe Ferguson said 27 firefighters arrived within eight minutes and found the double-storey house “well alight”.
“We used hose lines immediately and began attacking the fire while protecting neighbouring homes from the blaze,” he said.
“Firefighters in breathing apparatus entered the burning building and undertook an aggressive attack to bring the fire under control.”
It took 40 minutes to tame the dramatic blaze.
Remaining fire crews are expected to stay at the scene until 4.30pm, once final testing on the site is compete.
Fire Rescue Victoria confirmed no occupants were inside the building during the search.
The occupants of the home were unharmed and it is understood they have left the home accompanied by family.
“A mother and three children were able to self-evacuate to safety without injury,” Commander Ferguson said.
An Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said it attended the scene for health monitoring.
Fire crews at the scene confirmed there were no injuries and no one needed to be taken to hospital.
The fire was reported to have started from a burning candle.
Senior station officer Glenn MacDonald said the fire was quite extensive through the back half of the two-storey property.
“The first crews on scene did a great job at getting here quickly and containing the blaze to the one property, but there’s always concern about adjoining houses,” he said.
Mr MacDonald said insurance officers would attend the scene to assess the damage in the coming days.
Neighbours heard screams coming from the property shortly after the blaze engulfed much of the two storey Altona home.
“Smoke was billowing from both ends of the house,” the neighbour said.
The normally quiet street was somber following the fire with a steady flow of nearby residents taking a look at the aftermath.
Neighbours told the Herald Sun most of the contents had been lost in the fire.
“They’re doing okay but I don’t think it’s hit them yet,” a neighbour said.
“I saw the black clouds rushing from the house and spreading and for a moment I thought it was a thunderstorm rolling in,” another neighbour said.
“It was extensive, the smoke was billowing from both ends of the house, up and down stairs.”
Toxic fumes were still lingering around the neighbourhood hours after the fire was under control.
Residents said it was the second significant fire in the street in as many years after an electrical fire destroyed the front shed of a nearby property.
About two years ago, flames engulfed the front garage of the nearby property which resulted in the residents spending over a year in temporary accommodation.
To donate to the GoFundMe click here
The Pelican grief: Lovebirds clipped after drug nest bust
A lovebird and her girlfriend ran a meth and MDMA racket at a nightmare Pelican Place Werribee house cops have hit 113 times.
$80k trail of destruction by alleged thief
An Altona North man has been accused of leaving a trail of $80,000 worth of property damage after an alleged crime spree across Melbourne’s western suburbs.