RESIDENTS of Nangwarry remain on high alert as fire bugs continue to strike fear into the community following the ninth house fire in three years on Sunday night.
At around 11pm, Nangwarry Country Fire Service crews – based just four properties from the premises – attended and extinguished a small blaze, which destroyed the bathroom of a vacant house in McIntosh Street.
Emergency services were alerted to the fire by a nearby resident who noticed smoke coming from the run-down property.
Wattle Range Country Fire Service (CFS) group officer Fred Stent said limited fuel in the bathroom allowed crews to contain the fire relatively quickly.
“They were able to respond swiftly as the station is only four properties away and they had the fire under control in around 15 minutes,” Mr Stent said.
A nearby resident – who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of being targeted – told The Border Watch members of the community were fearing the worst.
“The feeling is that someone is going to get hurt or killed if this continues to go on,” they said.
“A fire will be lit at a property and someone will be sound asleep in the home.”
Rumours spreading throughout the small town of Nangwarry suggest there are ongoing disputes between members of the community, which is resulting in the suspicious activity.
“I’m sure people definitely have their suspicions about it, but no one is willing to talk to the police because they fear their house will end up being burned down out of retaliation,” a local resident said.
Mr Stent agreed someone had to know something about the series of fires and urged anyone to come forward.
“Do not assume that police already know information you might have,” Mr Stent said.
“Speak to police, do not hide it, because unless someone provides some sort of evidence or the person is caught in the act, there is not much they can do.”
Following nine house fires, a shed fire, a fusebox fire and two grass fires in the last three years, local residents said the brazen acts are also starting to affect the housing market.
“People do not want to live here anymore,” one resident said.
“I know someone who had their house on the market and potential buyers used the fires as an excuse for not following through with the purchase.”
Other residents are frustrated with local authorities who continue to “sit on their hands” regarding vacant houses in the town.
“There are several homes in Nangwarry that have been vacant for many years and they have become run-down and engulfed by over-grown vegetation,” a Nangwarry local said.
“The house that was set on fire on Monday was deemed a fire hazard by the fire brigade, but the local council will not do anything about it.”
Mr Stent said the fires in Nangwarry also had a mixed impact on volunteer numbers for the CFS.
“It can go one of two ways because people do not mind helping out, however when it is deliberate they can lose interest too,” Mr Stent said.
“We can lose people, because they do not want to keep getting called out all the time – they want to fight fires which have happened for normal reasons.”
