A SOMERVIILE family was lucky to escape unharmed after a fire broke out at their Eramosa Road home Monday 3 October.
Somerville CFA was called to the fire just before 6.30pm, supported by units from Baxter and Moorooduc.
Somerville captain Josh Caron said the fire was contained to one room by CFA firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, with damage limited to some furniture, ceilings and walls.
He said the fire was believed to have started by a scented candle that had fallen over, and firefighters spent some time removing smoke from the house and monitoring carbon monoxide levels.
Caron said a smoke alarm alerted the young family living in the house to the fire. While evacuating the house, a family member had closed a connecting door, which confined the fire and smoke damage to one area of the house.
“This is yet another example of how a working smoke alarm has saved lives,” he said.
“If you must use candles, please ensure that you keep an eye on them. We had a good outcome today, but many serious house fires have been started by candles.
“The family did a great job today. They evacuated promptly and shut doors on the way out which limited the spread of fire and smoke.”
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 11 October 2022
