It’s the fire tragedy breaking our hearts.
A Victorian family is without their two little girls after they died from smoke inhalation when a small fire started in their bedroom.
The fire broke out some time before 8am this morning in the East Geelong home. Firefighters think it started when a toy fell onto the electric bar heater which was keeping the girls’ bedroom warm.
The dangers of smoke inhalation
The sisters, aged two and three, were asleep in the bedroom with the door shut when their parents noticed the smoke seeping under the door. Their dad rushed into the smoke-filled room and carried them to the house of a neighbour, who was a doctor, before rushing them to hospital. Tragically, both little girls could not be revived.
A six-month-old baby sleeping in a different part of the house was rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital. The baby was also treated for smoke inhalation but is in no medical danger.
Speaking to radio station 3AW, Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Guthrie says the fire was only small, but the smoke was deadly.
“A tragic set of circumstances has occurred. It looks like possibly some sort of toy has fallen on a bar heater in the room and it has caused the smoke to billow in the room.”
As a parent, who hasn’t popped the heater on to warm their child’s room while they snoozed? It’s automatic action that we would never, ever consider to have dire consequences.
Check your heaters then check again
Detective Senior Sergeant Guthrie warned families to ensure that their heaters are safe. “Make sure there is nothing that can fall on any heaters and keep heaters well clear and continue to check on them,” he says.
A neighbour told The Age the terrible tragedy had shocked everyone in the street.
“The family are lovely people, the nicest people, really friendly and their daughters were stunningly beautiful.”
Our thoughts are with the family during this awful time.
