Police probe pump link to grassfire

By Elizabeth Lillis
PAKENHAM Criminal Investigation Unit is investigating the cause of a grassfire that spread through the backyards of three homes in Pinehill Drive, Pakenham, last Tuesday evening.
Police said it appeared the fire started at a water pump being used to transfer water from the golf course dam to a neighbouring property’s dam.
Police said the water was being transferred with permission of the Pakenham Golf Club.
Detective Sergeant Phil Jury said police were investigating whether the pump was properly equipped to be in operation on a total fire ban day when use of certain types of equipment was banned.
The fire threatened one home, burnt out the yard of another property in the street and moved quickly into two other backyards and the easement of the Pakenham Golf Course.
Pakenham Country Fire Authority Captain Vince Ingram said crews were called to the fire at 5.30pm.
Five calls were received for different locations in the same area, causing a few minutes’ delay as crews worked out the best way to access the fire.
Six CFA trucks were called to the fire from Pakenham, Maryknoll, Pakenham Upper, Kooweerup, Nar Nar Goon and Officer along with the Narre Warren service van.
Capt Ingram, officer in charge for the fire, said fire crews cut through wire fencing to gain access to the back of the properties.
“Good wind conditions assisted with the control of the fire,’’ Capt Ingram said.
The fire was controlled just after 6pm and officers completed mopping up by 8.30pm.
Pakenham Police assisted by creating a roadblock at the corner of Pinehill Drive and Ryan Road.
Inspector Chris Notman said four cars were sent to the fire to assist with traffic control. He said the officers’ work was made difficult by onlookers.
An ambulance was called to assist a middleaged woman who suffered from smoke inhalation. She was treated at the scene.
Glenn and June Madden, who live on the corner of Pinehill Drive and Ryan Road, were surprised to see flames at the back of their twoandahalfacre property.
“We noticed there was really heavy smoke as we were going to the car to go to visit our son in Beaumaris,’’ Mr Madden said.
‘Then we saw flames in our yard and ran to get a hose. We were really shocked, we never expected anything like it.”
Mr Madden said he had cleared his property of all garden rubbish in December and did not consider it a high fire risk.
His property was the third to be affected, and he said the CFA arrived just as they discovered the blaze.
The CFA fought the fire at the back of the Maddens’ property while he, his wife and their other son, Robert, put out spot fires in the yard with a hose and buckets.
“The CFA had it under control fairly quickly,’’ he said.
The Maddens are well known as stalwarts of the Pakenham Yakkerboo Festival Committee.