Hobart CBD covered in smoke as part of protest | House fire on Brooker Highway | Traffic at Hobart airport slowed after crash
Fire investigators have revealed what caused a house fire on the Brooker Highway, that sent an elderly man to hospital with smoke inhalation. LATEST BREAKING NEWS >>
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Monday, March 15
Cause of house fire revealed
A fire that caused significant damage to a house on the Brooker Highway at Lutana last night started when cooking was left unattended, Tasmania Fire Service has confirmed.
TFS received multiple triple zero calls just after 8pm Monday night from people in the area reporting they could see flames coming from the roof of the three-bedroom weatherboard house.
Three crews from Glenorchy and Hobart fire stations attended to find the house fully alight.
The occupant, a man in his 70s, was transported to the Royal Hobart Hospital as a precaution after inhaling some smoke.
The fire was extinguished in two hours and firefighters remained on scene overnight until the investigation was conducted this morning.
Fire investigators determined that the fire was caused when food being cooked under a grill was left unattended, igniting a build up of grease and oil.
TFS reminds people to never leave cooking unattended, and to ensure stoves and ovens are cleaned regularly to prevent grease from building up.
SMOKE FILLS HOBART CBD
9AM: A SMOKEY smell filled the air at Hobart’s Waterfront this morning, drifting all the way from Parliament House to Salamanca Square.
At the steps to the state parliament building, two groups of protesters coincidentally had the same idea to protest against Sustainable Timbers Tasmania forest burns and native growth logging.
One of those groups, the Bob Brown Foundation, was equipped with flares – letting the flames burn at Parliament House and the Old Clock Tower in the CBD.
The other gathering consisted of three concerned locals armed with their own photos of felled trees and messages addressed to Peter Gutwein and Guy Barnett to protect the forests.
Bob Brown Foundation protesters let off the bright orange flares to signify the “flattening and incineration” of forests.
Campaign manager Jenny Weber said the group demanded an “immediate ban” on post-logging burns.
“Forty of us are demonstrating today to raise the alarm for Tasmania that we are losing vast tracts of native forests while disastrous logging burns pollute the world’s cleanest air, kill wildlife and (dump) massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere,” she said.
“A ban on this damaging burning after logging is urgent. Tasmania’s native forest logging industry needs a rapid transformation from the economically damaging, wildlife killing, environmental destroying and climate bombing that is shamefully entrenched.”
Locals Maria Riedl and Gill Gravell were joined by state Greens candidate for Lyons Liz Johnstone for an impassioned plea to the government to honour the forest agreement and put a stop to forest burns in light of the recent STT burn which escaped containment lines in the Styx area.
“I totally disagree with logging old growth forests,” Ms Riedl said.
“ (STT) just clear-fells, slashes and then burns the evidence and creates pollution because coming down towards Hobart a couple of days ago the amount of smoke over Hobart was just totally unacceptable.”
Ms Riedl asked why the government gave priority to STT instead of beekeepers and agriculture workers for use of forest areas.
She asked Mr Barnett to stop labelling herself and other protesters “extremists”, while she called on Mr Gutwein not to log the Castle Forbes forest which includes large native trees.
Ms Johnstone said the group had “heard in the last week or so a lot from people in agriculture, whether it’s the wine industry, the apple industry, and we’ve had tourism people down in the Styx Valley talking about how this doesn’t help their economies”.
She said it hadn’t been made clear by STT why burns were necessary.
“We’re in a time of catastrophic climate change. We have these forests which can protect us, not just Tasmanians but the world, from climate change and we should protect them.”
More to come …
Monday, March 15
HOUSE FIRE, LUTANA
9PM: Fire crews from Glenorchy and Hobart rushed to reports of a house on fire on the Brooker Highway near the Derwent Park intersection.
Neighbours at the scene reported flames coming through the roof, but it appeared damage was contained to the rear of the home.
A large number of fire fighters attended the scene, as well as Tasmanian Ambulance Service but there were no confirmed reports of injuries as of 9.35pm.
HIGHWAY CRASH
4.20PM: POLICE are currently on the scene of a crash involving a car and a motorcycle in the north bound lanes of the Brooker Highway near the turn off to Stoke Street at New Town.
One person has received minor injuries.
One lane is reportedly blocked and traffic delays are expected until the scene is cleared.
AFTER HEAD-ON HIGHWAY CRASH
1.40PM: POLICE are investigating a two-car crash on the Tasman Highway west of the Midway Point roundabout around 10.30am today.
A red Mitsubishi SUV travelling in an easterly direction crossed to the incorrect side of the roadway and collided with a red Mazda sedan travelling in a westerly direction.
The driver of the Mitsubishi was transported to the Royal Hobart Hospital for observation while the driver of the Mazda was uninjured.
The crash caused moderate damage to both vehicles.
Police are continuing to investigate and would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the crash.
Information can be provided to Tasmania Police on 131 444 or to Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.
RIDER INJURED IN DERWENT VALLEY CRASH
A MOTORCYCLE rider has been taken to the Royal Hobart hospital with minor injuries after a crash at Back River Rd, New Norfolk
Police initially reported the crash around 11am and motorists were asked to avoid the area until the scene was cleared.
Sunday, March 14
SHOTS FIRED INTO SCOTTSDALE HOME
SHOTS were fired at a home where occupants were inside during a late-night incident at Scottsdale on Saturday, police say.
Detective Inspector Craig Fox, from Launceston CIB, said Scottsdale police responded to a report of a firearm being discharged in Hawkes Place about 11.45pm.
“Upon arrival they observed evidence of firearm being discharged at a residence,” he said.
“The residence was occupied at the time of the incident, however, no person was injured and only minor damage was caused to the residence.”
Police have called for witnesses who may have heard the gunshot or seen a person acting suspiciously in the area of Hawkes Place or McGilp St in Scottsdale around the time of the incident.
Information can be given to police on 131 444 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Everybody appearing at Hobart Magistrates Court, Thursday, February 6
Here is a list of people appearing at Hobart Magistrates Court on February 6.
Swift rescue after historic ship sinks in channel
A couple sailing their historic 20 metre 1958 Pilot Cutter struck danger in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel south of Woodbridge, igniting a rescue as the ship sunk. Here’s what went wrong.