A house fire at Alkimos, north of Perth, claimed the life of a father.
On Monday, the fire started just before 10.30 p.m. After hearing a bang, neighbors dialed triple zero.
Despite their best efforts to put out the flames using hoses, they were unable to save the man. “When we got out the house has just erupted, the roof has gone up and we just saw a massive orange fireball and smoke blowing over that way,” a neighbor, Matthew, said. Kerry, a different neighbor, added, “Then I saw the flames out the back and then the popping just got bigger and bigger and then flames.”
“We started hosing our fencing and tried to do a little bit of our house and some of theirs but it was so intense the flames.”
To apply water to the fire, firefighters had to make a cut through the garage door.
Crews discovered the man dead within the rear of the house.
The property’s owners are known to have recently relocated across state lines.
At that moment, the man’s wife and small daughter were away from home.
The neighbours reported hearing glass breaking and a man ranting earlier in the evening.
Detective Sergeant Chris De Bruin stated, “Police don’t believe there’s any third person involved in lighting the fire.”
