Wynyard family lose everything in house fire

A Tasmanian family has lost everything, including a family pet which is missing and presumed deceased, in a fire which started while the only person home was in the shower.

A Wynyard family has lost everything, including a family pet which is missing and presumed deceased, in a fire which started while the only person home was in the shower.

One of the teenagers who lived in the Austin St weatherboard property could see the smoke from her school across the road and soon heard it was her home up in flames.

Her mum heard the fire alarm and saw smoke coming into the bathroom and escaped out a bedroom window in just a towel.

The scene at the house fire at Wynyard.

Investigations into what caused the fire have now begun.

The family of four has rented the house for three years.

Father Damien Stewart said he hoped the family dog Kimba had escaped and would soon be found but he feared it had perished in the blaze.

The scene at the house fire at Wynyard. father Damien Stewart with the surviving dog Watson.

Another pet Watson, who is training to be a support dog, was out the back and survived.

The family has moved into temporary accommodation while they try to work out what to do next.

A spokesman from the Wynyard Fire Brigade said the house was totally engulfed in flames when units from Wynyard, Burnie, Somerset and Boat Harbour brigades arrived at 10.30am.

The heat was so intense it cracked the windows of the house next door.

Update: Investigators have determined a fire which forced a woman to jump out a bedroom window in her towel was most likely started by an oil burner. The TFS said the destruction of the Wynyard property served as a reminder to Tasmanians to never leave oil burner type devices burning unattended, and to ensure they are out of reach of animals at all times.