Residents battle blaze with buckets as …

By Kelly Yates
SEVEN homes have been destroyed and several others severely damaged after a fire tore through Narre Warren South last Saturday.
Police said the fire, believed to be deliberate, started along Coral Drive near Ormond Road at 5pm.
Narre Warren Fire Brigade Captain David Beards said five fire trucks and more than 25 firefighters fought the blaze, with the main priority being protecting the properties along Langbourne Drive.
Four firefighters were treated with heat and smoke related illness.
Captain Beards estimated that it took just over an hour to control the blaze.
“Without the help from the residents dragging their garden hoses and buckets filled with water to the fire, the losses from the fire could have been far greater,” he said.
“They did an absolutely truly great job.”
The Randell family were forced to flee their Langbourne Drive home.
“My son ran through scream-ing that there was a fire and I grab-bed the kids and ran,” Karen Randell said.
Despite no-one being physically hurt, the emotional pain felt by the family was unbearable, according to Ms Randell.
“We feel empty, devastated and completely numb,” she said.
“We’ve lost everything.
“All we have are the clothes on our backs,” she said, pointing to a plastic bag filled with the remains of the family’s pet dog.
The Randell family had been living in the house for six years.
Neighbour Janeen Cooke, whose house down Langbourne Drive was saved, said she was she was disgusted at the looting that took place at the time of the fire.
“While people were trying to put out fires at the back of their homes, looters were sneaking in the front door and stealing items from the house,” she said.
“The firemen were telling the residents in the area to make sure their homes and cars were locked to ensure no prop-erty was stolen.”
Captain Beards said it was disappointing to hear about the looting.
“People were trying to save their homes and the firefighters were trying to extinguish the fire and it’s pretty poor that people were looting,” he said.
“It’s hard to express my feelings on it.”
Detective Acting Senior Serg-eant Mark Sims said police were following up certain leads in relation to the cause of the fire and the looting.
“Looting is the lowest act as these offenders were preying on the sorrow of the residents,” he said.
Police are investigating a couple of homes that were hit, with a circular saw and mobile phone being stolen from the garage of a house that was severely damaged.
“It’s hard to determine who was helping fight the fire and who was helping themselves to the property,” he said.
Anyone with information about the fire is urged to call Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Sims from the Cranbourne Police Station on 5991 0600.