A house on Mill Road, Huonbrook, went up in flames last Friday and thankfully no-one was injured. Police, the fire brigade and emergency services attended.
Local resident David told The Echo he was taking his morning walk when he saw the house on fire.
‘There was no-one around, so I started yelling and bashing on the door. The owner came down and we were throwing buckets of water at the door. The owner called fire brigade and said that there was no-one inside, because the cars of the people who live there were out’.
‘The fire was in the roof and we had to retreat. The fire brigade arrived within about a half hour, but was too late to save the house.’
Andrew Wilson and his partner Amba, who is four months pregnant, lived at the residence and say they are ‘gutted’ at the loss of their home. ‘We came back to the area when Covid hit and both set up businesses,’ Andrew told The Echo.
‘Amba has lost all her business gear, all her horse tackle and feed for her two horses. We lost all the baby clothes and things that we have been given, all our furniture, everything. We were planning to stay long-term in this house and we are also really sorry for the owner’s loss. He has been really caring and warm.’
Andrew says he moved here about ten years ago from Sydney, and was able to build a life and business here. He said, ‘We have been lucky, as we have good community ties here, and we are staying with a friend. We are currently trying to get the money together for a bond, furniture, and to find a new place.’
You can help Andrew and Amba to get back on their feet by donating to their GoFundMe page.