Fatal blaze rips through Huon Valley home overnight
The victim of a deadly overnight house fire in the Huon Valley was seen in an agitated state just hours before the blaze took hold, police say, as more details emerge about the tragedy.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
UPDATE, 3PM:
THE victim of a deadly overnight house fire at Geeveston was seen in an agitated state just hours before the blaze took hold, police say.
Emergency services attended the scene on Fourfoot Rd just after 12am on Wednesday and discovered the man’s body among the wreckage once the fire was put out.
Inspector Dave Wiss from Kingston CIB confirmed the deceased person was found on a mattress in the bedroom of the burnt-out property.
“We believe the person is the 63-year-old male resident, however inquiries are still continuing in regards to that,’’ he said.
“The male occupant was last seen reported at approximately 5.30 [on Tuesday night]. He was in an agitated state outside his residence. He was alone.”
Insp Wiss said Tasmania Fire Service investigators, detectives and forensic police were combing through the scene, and he would not speculate on a likely cause.
“We’ve obviously doorknocked the entire area, we’re speaking to everyone that knows him, people that are related to him to form some type of background in regards to the person concerned,’’ he said.
Insp Wiss said a “painstaking investigation” was underway to determine if there were any suspicious circumstances.
He said a cause of the blaze may not be known until at least Thursday morning.
“The house was totally destroyed and so the scene is going to take a long time to be thoroughly examined,’’ he said.
“Due to this, I won’t be speculating on the cause of how the person died.
“Our thoughts are with the extended family of the person that has died. Eventually a report will be prepared by the Coroner.”
Insp Wiss said family members of the deceased man had been notified.
Insp Wiss said police from Geeveston and Dover attended the scene, along with TFS Geeveston, Franklin and Huonville volunteer fire brigades and local State Emergency Service personnel.
He said the house was well ablaze when they arrived at the property.
A NEIGHBOUR has spoken of her shock at waking to a house fully alight next door, then sadness at finding out the blaze had claimed the resident’s life.
Police and fire investigators remain at the scene on Fourfoot Rd, Geeveston where a fire broke out just after midnight.
Authorities confirmed this morning that a deceased person had been located inside the house.
Resident Nadine Ashlin said she was woken by a phone call from another neighbour about 12.15am to say the house was on fire.
“It was all alight. The whole place was glowing. There was nothing we could do,’’ she said.
“There was a couple of explosions. I don’t know if that was the house next door because their window blew out.
“It was just going crazy, then the roof fell down. We couldn’t see him so we obviously knew.”
Miss Ashlin, 40, said she was saddened to know someone had died in such tragic circumstances.
“I was a bit sick last night. I didn’t sleep because every time I closed my eyes all I could see was that,’’ she said.
Miss Ashlin said the resident lived on his own and had lived there for about three years.
MORE NEWS:
- No decision on borders to avoid deadly second wave
- Elderly to receive funds for non-existent services
- How you can feed Tassie zoo’s big cats
Next door neighbour Colin Smith expressed his sadness at the tragedy that had occurred just metres from where he and his wife Vitalina were sleeping.
“What a horrible way to die,’’ he said.
Mr Smith said he and his wife woke to find the house was glowing orange.
“We went down to our middle bedroom, opened the door and next door was just ablaze’’ he said.
“Then I rang triple-0. The man from over the road came over and was belting on the door to get us out.
“Then we went over to his place. The fire brigade was here by then and we could see that our house was safe.”
Mr Smith said it came as a shock to know their neighbour had died in such circumstances.
“We’ve only been here since late December in this house so we didn’t get to know him all that well, but he was OK. We said hello and everything,’’ he said.
INITIAL, 9.15am:
POLICE and fire services are investigating after a fire gutted a house in the Huon Valley and claimed a life overnight.
Tasmania Fire Service and police were called to the fire at Fourfoot Rd, Geeveston just after midnight.
Emergency services discovered the house fully alight and maintained a fire watch overnight.
Fire crews from Geeveston, Huonville and Franklin attended the fire.
A person was found dead inside the house this morning.
Fire investigators will be on scene this morning to determine the cause.
Lauderdale FC hold fundraising event for Ryan Wiggins
Lauderdale Football Club is holding a special fundraising event to raise funds for footballer Ryan Wiggins following a tragic accident that left him with a spinal injury two weekends ago. LATEST >>
Removalist company goes bust as Tasmanians wait for belongings
A national removals company who has left Tasmanians waiting weeks for their belongings has been placed into liquidation. LATEST >>