Montrose fire causes half a million dollars’ damage, 41-year-old charged with arson, assault
Charges have been laid after an overnight house fire which caused half a million dollars worth of damage to a home in Hobart’s northern suburbs. THE LATEST IN BREAKING NEWS >>
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16
MONTROSE FIRE
A MAN has been charged with one count of arson and one count of common assault after a house was severely damaged by fire in Montrose last night.
The 41-year-old male was arrested last night after he attended the Glenorchy Police Station.
Next door neighbour Ted Sherrin said he was preparing dinner in the kitchen just before 7pm when the fire broke out at Montrose.
“I was putting my dinner on and next thing I heard – bang,” Mr Sherrin said.
“She was a decent explosion.
“When I actually went outside to see what happened and came back in, you couldn’t see my lounge [because of the] smoke.”
He said flames rose high next door, and he was worried his home of 20 years might have gone up too had the wind direction changed.
Police evacuated Mr Sherrin, but not before he had seen his younger male neighbour near the backyard barbecue area and noticed the resident’s wife and father were in the house.
“I’d say it’s ruined the house [next door] you can smell it.”
Nobody was injured in the incident and all people at risk – including a man and a woman in the burnt house – were evacuated safely.
Glenorchy CIB Detective Inspector Troy Morrisby said the cause and exact area where the fire occurred were still under investigation, but said indications were the fire had broken out on the lower level of the home.
He said fire investigators and forensics remained on the scene this morning where “extensive” damage worth around $500,000 was sustained.
“There were reports that there were two occupants at the time but both occupants had managed to get out of the house safely,” he said.
Detective Inspector Morrisby said it was too early to tell whether the house could not be repaired.
Investigations are ongoing after last night's suspicious #Montrose #housefire. Next door, Ted was cooking dinner when he heard a huge bang. His lounge room filled up with smoke soon after. #tfs #tasmaniapolice #tasmania pic.twitter.com/iqZjwahf6Z
— Annie McCann (@AnnieMcCann14) December 15, 2020
Information can be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
Call for witnesses following Brighton incident
Police are seeking community help as they investigate an altercation in Brighton last night.
About 4:30pm yesterday afternoon, Police were called to an altercation at the Brighton Hotel.
The man had left on foot prior to police arriving but was arrested a short time later and is
currently in custody.
Police would like to speak to any witnesses to the event, in particular the female driver of a dark sedan parked at the Brighton Hotel bottle shop as the man left the hotel, and the rider of a black motorcycle with orange trim at the Brighton IGA who may be able to assist police with further inquiries.
Any information can be provided to the Bridgewater Criminal Investigation Branch via
131444 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 1300 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au
Monday, December 14
9.30AM
A man is in custody after a dramatic rampage in Strahan overnight.
Tasmania Police arrested the 51-year-old after he allegedly discharged a firearm, smashed his car in two parked vehicles and drove through a house.
At about 9:10pm on Sunday, Strahan Police responded to reports a vehicle had rammed two parked vehicles on a private property and that the driver was armed with a firearm.
The man was arrested and the gun seized. Police said it had been fired earlier but no-one had been injured.
Senior Sergeant Adam Stanwix said that the people involved in the incident were related and it
was a family dispute.
“Police allege the man crashed his vehicle multiple times into two parked cars causing
substantial damage to both before he drove his vehicle through the property causing
structural damage to a building,” Senior Sergeant Stanwix said.
Police estimate damage to the cars and house to be around $200,000.
The man remains in custody while further investigations are conducted.
Anyone with information should contact Strahan Police on 131444 or report
anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au –
6AM:
A BUSHWALKER injured in Tasmania’s southwest wilderness has been rescued by helicopter.
Police including the Westpac Rescue Helicopter rescued the 58-year-old Hobart bushwalker on Sunday afternoon after he activated a personal locator beacon in the state’s far southwest.
The man had injured his leg in a fall and was forced to activate his PLB.
Tasmania Police was notified of the activation about 4pm.
The helicopter was dispatched to the scene, with the bushwalker being flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital for treatment.
Sunday, December 13
UPDATED 4PM
POLICE and family are concerned for the welfare of Jayke Binns, aged 26 years from Kingston.
Jayke has not been heard from since Friday night, when he was out in Liverpool Street, Hobart.
Jayke is described as 175cm tall, medium build, brown hair and brown eyes.
Jayke was seen wearing medium blue jeans, a black hoodie, camouflage baseball cap, and black shoes with red trim.
If you’ve seen Jake or know where he is contact Police on 131444.
UPDATE 3.40PM:
AN UNLICENSED male driver is in a critical condition with head injuries following a crash in which police say alcohol was believed to be a factor.
About 10.30am a single vehicle rollover occurred at Roses Tier Rd, Upper Blessington some 40 minutes from Launceston.
Acting Inspector Justin Bidgood said the red Toyota station wagon rolled twice landing on the driver’s side in the middle of the road.
“The road is a dirt road, the vehicle was driving downhill, lost control on a bend in the gravel and rolled over several times and came to rest on its side in the middle of the road,” Acting Inspector Bidgood said.
“The driver was initially trapped and was assisted from the vehicle by Tasmania Fire Service and Ambulance Tasmania.”
The 22-year-old male passenger suffered a minor chest injury and was taken to Launceston General Hospital.
Acting Inspector Bidgood said the 23-year-old driver had been “conscious and talking” at the scene and was at that stage considered to be in a serious condition before he was driven to the LGH.
He said the male driver has since been flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital with skull fractures and head injuries raising his condition to critical.
“We believe alcohol was an influence in the crash and the driver was unlicensed at the time,” Acting Inspector Bidgood said.
He said the alcohol may have been a hangover from the previous night.
“Police would like to remind drivers when having a big night to give yourself plenty of time to come back to the legal level depending on what your license conditions are before you attempt to drive,” he said.
“If in doubt, don’t drive.”
He said the holiday season of Christmas parties, work break up drinks and the further easing of COVID-19 restrictions meant people were likely to be drinking more.
Police would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the crash or witnessed the vehicle’s driving behaviour prior to the incident.
Police also request any witnesses that may have dashcam footage of the vehicle or the crash to come forward via the Launceston Police 131444, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au
UPDATE 3PM:
POLICE believe the Midlands Highway crash at Epping Forest near Powranna was the result of a driver’s medical episode.
The crash occurring about midday saw an elderly male driver cross to the incorrect side of the road and collide with several trees before stopping in an embankment.
The man was taken to the Launceston General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police have said investigations are ongoing.
UPDATE 2PM:
A ROAD user is in a serious condition at hospital following a single-vehicle accident.
Roses Tier Rd, Upper Blessington in the state’s northeast has been closed following the accident which occurred some time before 1.45pm.
Motorists coming from Mathinna are asked to divert via Gunns Rd.
A section of the Midland Highway previously closed off at Powranna following an earlier single car crash has now been reopened.
Police say the male driver was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
UPDATE 1PM:
EMERGENCY services are attending a Midland Highway crash.
The single-vehicle incident occurred some time before midday at Powranna.
The extent of injuries is not yet known.
Motorists have been asked to avoid the area.
Sunday December 13:
A SIXTY-FIVE year old man was driving north when a sudden bout of coughing caused him to plough into a tree.
Police and emergency services attended the crash at Highland Lakes Rd near Steppes at 5.30pm on Saturday.
The man was driving a car with a trailer and boat in tow when the single-vehicle crash occurred.
He was taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital via helicopter with a broken leg while his female passenger was uninjured.
Police say a woman who attended the scene to assist suffered a medical episode and was also transported for treatment in the helicopter.
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