A FAULTY battery is believed to have caused the fire which destroyed a Chelsea SES transport vehicle last Wednesday (29 March).
A Kingston Council worker saw smoke coming from a garage at Bonbeach Reserve, Scotch Parade, just after lunch and called the CFA. Units from Patterson River and Edithvale arrived to find the four-wheel-drive well alight.
“Their quick response and great work isolated the fire to a single garage saving our maintenance shed and boat shed from any major damage,” Phil Wall, of Chelsea SES, said.
“The vehicle is a right off and damage is being assessed to a boat that was also in the building.”
Council officers, including the municipal emergency response officer, along with SES staff, attended.
Power was lost, putting Chelsea SES on bypass for 24 hours, however, they were back in action at 6pm next day.
SES senior managers inspected the damage later. Victorian SES chief Stephen Griffin and chief operations officer Trevor White, as well as Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson, attended to ensure the unit and its volunteer members had everything they needed.
Mr Richardson’s office and staff are taking donations from those who want to contribute following the fire. The address is 374 Nepean Hwy, Chelsea. Call 9722 4544.
Chelsea SES crews praised Patterson River and Edithvale CFA crews for their assistance.
“The entire unit would like to thank the thousands of people who reacted to the fire on social media with so many kind words of support, it really did mean a lot,” Mr Wall said.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 5 April 2017