ABOUT 40 fire-fighters battled a house fire in Tecoma in blistering heat last Wednesday afternoon.
Fire-fighters from Belgrave and Tecoma were called to the blaze about 3pm and arrived to find the back deck fully engulfed in flames.
Belgrave Third Lieutenant Russell Dow, who was first on the scene, said it took only minutes before the fire spread to the roof.
A total of 10 vehicles including four from Belgrave, two from Upwey and one from Sassafras, Belgrave South, Bayswater and Yellingbo turned out to the fire.
Mr Dow said the heat was the main problem for firefighters, who had to be rotated off after shifts of 15 minutes.
The crews managed to contain the fire to the roof within an hour and a half.
“It got up into the roof and just kept burning but we managed to contain it to the point of entry – the kitchen and ceiling,” he said.
The fire was believed to have started due to a cigarette butt. Firefighters are still investigating.
Mr Dow said fire-fighters worked well together.
“The hardest part of the fire was the heat but the crews did an excellent job,” he said.
“It could’ve been a lot worse and spread further considering the time of day and the weather conditions.”
Fire-fighters remained on scene for about three hours.
