A fast-moving bush fire destroyed at least 40 homes in Perth, Western Australia, with one man dying as he prepared for the approaching inferno.
The blaze, thought to have been started by a fallen power line in the city’s wooded outskirts on Sunday, was fanned by hot, strong gusts that saw 20-metre flames tear through residential streets, officials said yesterday.
“It has been confirmed that 40 homes have been lost at this stage, but this number is expected to increase as damage assessments continue throughout the day,” Western Australia state’s fire and emergency services department said.
Media reports put the number at 44, comprising 40 in the district of Stoneville and four in Parkerville.
The ambulance service said a man aged 62 had died after collapsing on the roof of his house as he prepared for the blaze.
Hundreds of residents fled their homes for evacuation centres and were anxiously awaiting news yesterday. Some said they had only seconds to escape.
“We obviously knew that the fire was moving pretty quickly,” Stoneville resident Aaron Miles told the ABC. “We just went for the important stuff – hard drive, documents. Everything else is technically replaceable if it comes to that.”