By Mikayla van Loon
A Mooroolbark property known as a rubbish dump and fire hazard has finally succumb to destruction following a major blaze which broke out on Thursday 7 July.
The Straun Avenue house has been completely gutted by the fire, with local residents hoping this will now mark the end of their torment.
Emergency services were called to the structure fire at 32 Straun Avenue around 7.15pm, where firefighters found the single dwelling engulfed in flames.
Mooroolbark CFA captain Tony King said five pumpers, a tanker, support units and the Bayswater breathing apparatus crew were all on scene, as well as Victoria Police.
“There were a lot of appliances in attendance. On arrival the premise was fully involved in fire and the brigade protected the houses adjacent and proceeded to extinguish the fire and look for any occupants because at that stage the occupants weren’t accounted for,” he said.
Victoria Police have confirmed the house was vacant at the time of the fire and no one was injured.
This was not the first time CFA crews and emergency services had been called to the property, with Cpt. King saying it was probably the tenth time his brigade had responded to calls of fire.
Star Mail reported on a fire at the same address in February that started at the rear of the property where several tents had been located.
The tenant of the property was evicted about a month ago, along with Yarra Ranges Council ordering for a clean up of the surrounding piles of rubbish.
Unfortunately this had to be done at the owner’s expense, seeing 23 truckloads collected but rubbish still remained, butting up against the house and at the rear of the property under tarps.
Straun Avenue residents Merrin and Chris, and Landara Court resident Kim said they felt a huge amount of relief knowing the house had now been destroyed by fire and will no longer be occupied.
“We thought it was a relief when he got evicted. I have spoken to a few neighbours and we were still a little bit funny because he still had stuff there and then when we found out there was just a curtain on the back door and he could still come and go, I thought that was still a bit of a risk with squatters,” Merrin said.
“The neighbours still didn’t feel 100 per cent safe, whereas now at least we know there’s no dwelling and it’s completely uninhabitable.”
Mr King said, “we would assume that we will not have to respond there again which will make the neighbours very happy” and he will be pleased “to see the back end of it.”
Kim’s property, when she moved in five years ago, didn’t have a back fence exposing her backyard to the 32 Straun Avenue block.
“When I started renting here I agreed to take the rental on with no fence because they weren’t living there and then they were ok for a little bit,” she said.
“But I’ve had somebody in my backyard with a machete telling me they’ve murdered people.”
Terrified as a single mother of two teenagers that someone would break into the house or that a fire would spread into their backyard, Kim said she became very alert in the three years the tenant of the property lived behind her.
Eventually establishing a boundary by way of a fence, Kim said she still put a large block of timber at her back door to keep it secure every night.
Merrin said for the most part the tenant at 32 Straun Avenue was a rather nice person who was reasonable but was almost being manipulated by others who camped out in the backyard.
“When he first moved in he was quiet. He kept to himself. There was no junk, he had a little bit around the carport but the place was clean, it was mowed and everything,” she said.
“He’s been reasonable with the council, he’s just got really shocking hoarding problems and mental health problems and it’s the company he keeps.
“Thank God for the fire in February because that went absolutely viral and he knew then that everyone knew about him.”
Kim, Merrin and Chris agreed the catalyst for change was the media and social media coverage of February’s event, identifying how serious the problem really was.
Understandably, Merrin said the council had to follow protocols before acting on the state of the property which was also hampered by the pandemic but she would have liked to have seen hers and her neighbours requests for assistance acted on earlier.
“I understand things take time and there are processes and because of Covid even the landlord didn’t have a leg to stand on,” she said.
Merrin said the cleaning up of the property was the thing that other residents believe could have happened sooner to prevent the string of fires at the site.
“If action had been taken, then none of this would have happened. It was to the point where there was no land, it was just rubbish. So if they’d got onto it earlier, we wouldn’t have had six fires.”
At times Kim was considering moving out of the area but the silver lining from the fires and all the trauma has meant people have become connected, neighbours know each other and feel safe in knowing people will be there to help if they need.
“We don’t want to move. We love where we live. You’ve got to fight for where you live,” Merrin said.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined and investigations remain ongoing, anyone with information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Yarra Ranges Council and the owner of the property have been contacted for comment.
