The house at no. 15 corner Amara Avenue and Zeitown has been in the news a lot recently. It made headlines this past Friday when resident Arden Robinson was charged for attempted murder and a slew and other offences after police found a gun and ammunition in front of his house. And the house was also in the news about a year ago when a female sat eating inside and was shot by a gunman who was after her boyfriend.
Well, tonight it is in the news again and this will probably be the last time as the wooden house was destroyed by fire this afternoon. 7NEWS was on the scene shortly after the small wooden house became engulfed. Here's the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
The 7NEWS team was on the scene, even before the first fire engine arrived, as the aggressive blaze ravaged this wooden bungalow house on the extreme east end of Amara avenue near the corner it shares with Zeitown. 2 fire engines rushed to the scene a short while later. And despite some initial setbacks like
this hose which appeared too short fire teams immediately began battling the massive blaze while students from nearby St. John's Anglican School left their classrooms to watch. And so did a terrified Norma Garbutt who watched from her verandah facing the fire.
Norma Garbutt, Area Resident
"I was watching TV, watching People's Court, and then I heard this popping. Something popped and I get up and I looked through the door and I saw the house engulfed in flames."
Alexia Romero, Area Resident
"I was inside and then I only heard a noise and when I peeped outside I saw the place on fire and then I run outside and picked up my dog and ran inside back."
Norma Garbutt,
"I just couldn't take it. I went to my bedroom and everything was heated up so I close the windows because everything was engulfed in flames."
Keith Swift,
When you saw the fire at that point were you fearful it would spread to your house?
Norma Garbutt,
"Of course I thought my house was in danger because of the way the house was engulfed in flames."
But in about less than 5 minutes, Fire Department personnel worked efficiently, and we might add commendably, to put out the blaze. Assistant Fire Chief Ted Smith commanded the scene.
Ted Smith, Assistant Fire Chief
"On our arrival the fire was in the free burning phase; it was in the free burning phase and the open stage. So it was burning freely and already through the exterior of the building burning to the outer perimeter of the building. It was a small structure. We presently have training going on so we had a lot of men to deal with it. We had three trucks fully staffed so we were quickly able to deal with it."
Keith Swift,
Any preliminary indications as to the cause of the fire?
Ted Smith,
"Not as yet. The investigation has not yet commenced. We are still, as you notice, mopping up pockets of hot spots in the structure. As soon as this has been accomplished, the investigation will immediately commence."
Investigations, which may date back to last year when this very house was riddled with gunshots leading to today when it was burnt down.
On Friday police charged the house's owner Arden Robinson along with Orin Michael for attempted murder and a slew of related charges for a shooting Thursday afternoon in the Yabra area. He was remanded to prison.
