November 9, 2021
Well-known Blackbutt resident Les Lane woke up in shock on Sunday morning to find his shed on fire.
The blaze razed the building and destroyed a tractor and a Suzuki 4WD parked inside.
A QFES spokesperson said six fire crews were called to the blaze, in Bowman Road, just after 9:00am.
They had the blaze under control by 9:25am but there was nothing they could do to save the contents of the tin shed.
Firefighters remained on site, dampening down and making the area safe, until 11:00am.
A QFES spokesperson said the blaze was not considered suspicious.
Les said he wanted to thank all the fire crews who had attended for their efforts.
As well as the vehicles, Les also lost other items which had belonged to his grandfather that had special memories attached.
He also lost a large amount of bee-keeping and honey extraction equipment.
The 16-year veteran of the Taromeo Rural Fire Brigade has started a GoFundMe page in a bid to raise some cash to replace the shed.
Unfortunately the building and contents were not insured.
Les is involved in many community organisations in the Blackbutt area, including the Avocado Festival and is vice-president of the Blackbutt-Benarkin Aged Care Association.
He said it was a timely reminder to be aware of electrical faults that could cause fires.
Les believes the fire started from a battery charger that have been placed on charge overnight
“It’s a bit of a cliche but it’s one of those things … you never think it’s going to happen to you,” Les said.
- External link: GoFundMe page
