Fire ripped through two cars and a residence in Capel on Friday morning, causing severe headaches for the owner.
According to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, fire engulfed a home in Layman Road at 1.30am on Friday, October 5.
Neighbours woke to find the home ablaze.
The fire tore through the carport as well as homeowner Brian Riley’s bedroom, causing an estimated $150,000 damage.
The occupants were home at the time, but were situated outside when fire crews arrived on the scene.
Seven fire crews – from Capel, Bunbury, and Busselton – worked to extinguish the blaze by 3.04am.
Looking down the hall and seeing flames coming up the hall is scary; when it’s your house it’s horrific and panic sets in.
- Brian Riley
Mr Riley said he and his 102-year-old mother, Gladys, were asleep in the home on Thursday evening.
After being woken up by one of the car’s alarms, Brian noticed both vehicles and part of the house were already in flames.
He carried his mother out of the house and onto the lawn, before being assisted by some of the neighbours.
Mr Riley’s mother was then taken to hospital for delayed shock.
“I picked her up and put her in the walker, I must have gone a bit fast because, as we got onto the grass, we fell over,” he said.
“ I think ‘devastating’ is probably the right word because I have no other family here.
“All of the clothes got burnt but we have got hold of some now.
“Looking down the hall and seeing flames coming up the hall is scary; when it’s your house it’s horrific and panic sets in.”
The fire has been deemed suspicious, with Arson Squad detectives due to continue their investigations.
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