The Centralian advocate Tue 17 Jul 2012
Centralian Advocate; NewspaperNT
2012-07-17
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English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Alice Springs; Tennant Creek (N.T.) -- Newspapers; Alice Springs (N.T.) -- Newspapers.; Australia, Central -- Newspapers
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
Alice Springs
v. 66 no. 15
application/pdf
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Nationwide News Pty. Limited
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00220
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/241550
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/617263
6 NT NEWS. Tuesday, July 17, 2012. www.ntnews.com.au P U B : N T N E W S D A T E : 1 7 -J U L -2 0 1 2 P A G E : 6 C O L O R : C M Y K Family loses all in fire By SALLY BROOKS Brother and sister at the fire Flames spread within minutesA FAMILY has lost everything after their house was rapidly engulfed in flames and gutted on Sunday night. David and Donna Kugey, their daughter and three grandkids were watching TV about 7pm when they noticed a blaze in the ceiling where the chimney of the fireplace, which was alight at the time, connects with the roof. We were sitting in the games room and saw fire in the roof, Mr Kugey said. Within minutes, flames spread from the front room to the back of the house. We started mustering up the kids to get them out the back, got the fire extinguisher out and the hose into the ceiling until the firies came, he said. Four firetrucks with 15 firefighters arrived as the distraught family and neighbours on Nardoo Court, in Sadadeen, Alice Springs watched the fire move at an incredible pace. Fire and Rescue district officer David Letheby said firefighters were in defensive attack, tackling the blaze from outside the house. The firies smashed windows to access the flames as paint tins and cans of liquid petroleum exploded. Neighbours on the seven adjoining properties were evacuated by police, including Lee-Ann Evans. I heard a loud bang that sounded like a firecracker, so I didnt think anything of it, Ms Evans said. But then I heard someone knocking on my window, and it was the police saying we had to evacuate the house. She said she then realised the house behind her was alight, with flames reaching a couple of metres high. The house was gutted within about five to 10 minutes. Ms Evans, who stood watching the billowing smoke, said Ms Kugey told her the family had recently had their chimney cleaned. I hope Alice Springs gets behind them, because they have lost everything, said Ms Evans. Mr Letheby said fire authorities were still investigating the incident. Firefighters saved two Ford Falcons at the front of the house, and some wallets and passports. If you are worried, get a builder to check where the flue penetrates the ceiling, Mr Letheby said. The family was extremely lucky to escape unharmed. If the fire had started while they had been asleep, the outcome could have been fatal. NEWS l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ntnews.com.au Howard Springs Dean Walkley, 62, used his own contraption to battle blazes in the rural area yesterday Picture: DANIEL HARTLEY-ALLEN DIY fire truck to the rescue By DAMIEN McCARTNEY A HOWARD Springs mans homemade fire-fighting truck was put to good use yesterday as a wild grassfire swept through the area. The fire burned up the length of Bastin Rd, Girraween, before threatening the back of properties on Whitewood Rd. Dean Walkley, 62, built the contraption after fire ripped through his property, destroying a shed just a few years ago. I lost a lot in that fire, Mr Walkley said. You cant rely solely on the firies out here theyre incredibly busy and they cant be everywhere at once. So youve got to do some yourself too. Mr Walkley said he wartered down properties until returning home at 3.30pm. Woodwind fellowship CHARLES Darwin University PhD candidate Sarena Wegener has been awarded a prestigious performing arts scholarship. Ms Wegener is one of six Territorians awarded a 2012 Churchill Fellowship to undertake a diverse range of research projects. She will spend six weeks in different European conservatories for specialist training on traditional teaching methods for Renaissance and Baroque woodwind instruments. Abstudy assistance THE Federal Government has urged Aboriginal students to contact Centrelink ahead of the new school term for help with education costs. Human Services Minister Kim Carr said fulltime apprentices, high school, TAFE and university students were eligible for Abstudy. He said students who needed to travel long distances for study or training would benefit from the service. Leisels big challenge KATHERINE-born Leisel Jones is facing the biggest challenge of her decorated career . . . to even get into the final of her pet event, the 100m breaststroke, at her swansong Olympics let alone get a medal. The 2008 Beijing gold medallist is now ranked just 13th in the world. But Aussie head coach Leigh Nugent says: You would never discount her because she is technically the best female breaststroker to grace the earth. Paying top fuel price TERRITORY motorists are continuing to pay more than their interstate counterparts for fuel. Prices for unleaded petrol across the nation are set to rise by 5c a litre in the next fortnight as global oil prices lift on a more stable outlook for the world economy. Melbourne had the cheapest fuel in the past week, down 7.4c a litre to 125.8c, while Darwin was the dearest, down 0.1 of a cent to 154.1c. Circus off to Alice THE Great Moscow Circus is on its way to Alice Springs after near sell-out audiences gathering in Darwin each night. The circus is expected to perform at Blatherskite Park, Len Kittle Drive, from July 19 to 22, before hitting the road again for Kununurra. Circus fans who missed out on the fun have a chance to see the tent and the circus crew in action in our time-lapse video on facebook.com/ntnews. Crews battle grass fire MORE than a dozen fire crews battled a grass fire off Gillard Cres, outside Katherine, yesterday afternoon. Katherine acting station officer Steve Ditcham said a large area was alight by the time the crews arrived. He said upon arrival fire crews called for assistance to protect assets around the Stuart Estate. No properties were under immediate threat, but we did place a few vehicles around buildings as a precaution, Mr Ditcham said.