Fire guts Newtown family home

A Newtown mother has shared how her daughter and niece were woken by a loud bang before discovering their home being engulfed by flames.

A Newtown family has lost everything after an out-of-control blaze gutted their family home overnight.

The fire broke out on the back porch of Kara and Vince Ficarra’s West Fyans St home about 2.30am on Monday.

Just hours earlier the family had been celebrating an Easter barbecue with other relatives, who stayed the night.

Ms Ficarra said the flames were first spotted through the back window by their nine-year-old daughter and niece.

“The girls were sleeping in the lounge room when they heard a loud bang,” Ms Ficarra said.

“Then they saw the flames out the back window.”

The homeowner’s daughter and niece were the first to spot the blaze. Picture: Alison Wynd

Once the girls raised the alarm, Ms Ficarra said all seven of the people staying in the house, including her husband, kids, brother, and niece, were evacuated before fire crews arrived just six minutes later.

“Then we got the two dogs out from the backyard and put them safely in the car,” she said.

“That’s when Vince started trying to put the fire out with our hose.”

Ms Ficarra says its photos of her children that she’ll miss the most. Picture: Alison Wynd

While firefighters extinguished the blaze within 10 minutes of arrival, the Ficarras were shocked to return later to find the fire had reignited.

“They put out the fire and left, and we all went next door to get a few hours’ sleep, but when we came back to get some stuff, the roof was on fire again, and they had to come back.

“That second fire was put out around 7am,” she recalled.

The fire was extinguished by firefighters around 2.40am, but the blaze returned when embers set the roof alight for a second time later in the morning. Picture: Alison Wynd.

Images of the aftermath showed the devastation caused by the blaze, with walls and ceilings caving in.

Despite losing everything, Ms Ficarra said it was precious photos of her children that she would miss the most.

“Everything else we can get back with insurance,” she said.

She said her children had lost most of their belongings, with a few clothes and sports trophies among their remaining possessions.

The destroyed interior of a Fyans St West home gutted by fire overnight. Picture: Alison Wynd

The couple told the Geelong Advertiser flames caused their neighbour’s windows to crack under the extreme heat.

A spokesman from Fire Rescue Victoria said crews got “the blaze under control in about 10 minutes.”

“One occupant was treated by paramedics on scene,” he added.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, but it is not believed to be suspicious.

Originally published as Fire guts Newtown family home