Wallan family loses home in scary Christmas Eve fire
Three children were asleep on Christmas Eve when screams from their parents alerted them to a fire that was rapidly spreading through their Wallan home. Read about their narrow escape.
VIC News
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A Wallan family has lost their home after it was gutted by fire in a Christmas Eve tragedy.
Vivienne and Robert Dawson were at home on Christmas Eve waiting for their three kids to fall asleep when they heard “loud bangs” at their Lauricella Drive home before realising it was ablaze.
“We thought it was a loud door slamming shut,” Mrs Dawson said.
“Then there was smoke pouring into the house.”
The couple attempted to put the fire out with garden hoses but the flames were quickly spreading.
Their three children — Coady, 12, Allira, 9, and Travis, 6, — had just been put to bed and were temporarily trapped in the burning home.
“It was too late, I started screaming out to the kids, I couldn’t breathe,” Mrs Dawson said.
“They heard the screaming and woke up.
“It’s pretty shocking but at the same time all I was thinking about was the kids.”
The family of five escaped only minutes before the home became extensively damaged by the fire.
“The roof had collapsed, it was just minutes, it was so quick, there was nothing we could do,” Mrs Dawson said.
“There were explosions, it was just so dangerous.
“We were hoping it was only the front of the home but We’ve been told there is nothing that is salvageable.”
CFA crews arrived on scene and put the blaze out.
The mum-of-three said losing their home hours before Christmas Day was “devastating, shocking and exhausting.”
“I was so looking forward to giving the kids their presents, waking up and doing the Christmas Day thing,” she said.
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“Instead I woke up on a blow up mattress, going ‘oh my god, is this real.’
“Everyone out doing Christmas lunch and we’re doing peanut butter sandwiches.“
The family has been inundated with locals who rallied to donate gifts and essentials to them as early as 2am on Christmas Day.
“I can’t get my head around (how many) people who wanted to help, to see us smile, it is the little things that make a difference.”
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.