Cedar Vale’s Christine Thiele has been left badly shaken after a blaze took hold of her garage and carport, while her family were tucked in bed only metres away.
On July 6 Ms Thiele had put her grandchildren, Zander and Phoebe to bed and was reading a book when at about 9pm she heard her neighbours yelling outside.
To her surprise she heard banging and saw ta fire had engulfed their laundry, shed and carport.
Ms Thiele’s vehicle, as well as that of her sister Margaret Sutton, was destroyed by the fire. Other items she had in storage, such as sewing machines, personal items and computers, were also lost to the blaze.
Ms Thiele was thankful that her family home was saved.
“It was a bit of a stressful time, trying to keep everyone away from the fire and answer everyone’s questions,” she said.
“Thankfully the house is fine, that was my biggest fear.
“If I had the breeze-way covered it would have gone up.”
Fortunately, just a few weeks prior Ms Thiele had taken down a shade cloth that joined the shed and house.
“I’m so grateful for my neighbours,” she said.
The Thiele’s had only recently repaired damage to the back of their home after a mini-cyclone tore the back patio off.
“We will get there, one day at a time,” she said.
“It’s only possessions.
“The house and family are fine.”
The Thiele’s built their home on Millstream Road in 1984 and think that their insurance covers the shed and belongings.
Police are treating the fire as suspicious and investigations continue.
