Neighbours have rallied around Mark Bailey, who lost his Hazelbrook home and everything in it last Monday.
Bonnie View Avenue residents have started fundraising for Mr Bailey, whose uninsured home was ravaged by fire on October 3 after he burnt some weeds in his front yard and the weatherboard home caught alight.
Neighbours Geoff and Debbie Fear said they smelt smoke at lunchtime last Monday, initially thinking it was a distant bushfire, but soon realising a house down the street was on fire.
Mr Fear and others raced to help with garden hoses until firefighters arrived, but in just 10 minutes, Mr Fear said the garage caught alight spreading to the house and there was no saving it.
A neighbouring house sustained damage, and could have been a lot worse had the gutters not been cleaned just a few weeks earlier.
Working on a contract job as a plasterer and prop maker in the entertainment industry in Sydney, and desperate to keep his job, Mr Bailey returned to work last Tuesday.
“He’s facing a monumental task. I can’t imagine how he will get through it,” Mrs Fear said.
Having moved from England 20 years ago and with no family in Australia and little support, Mrs Fear said neighbours were keen to do anything they could to help.
“He needs help of all kinds - practical, to begin clearing his block, financial to start gathering some basic living needs, and most importantly of all in my view, he needs the support of the amazing community we have up here to help him rebuild and get through such an enormous challenge,” Mrs Fear said.
Donations to pay for the removal of asbestos on the property, and help to clear the block and set up a new home would be appreciated, she said. They’re also trying to find a temporary home for Mr Bailey’s cat Jenny.
Mrs Fear said Mr Bailey thought the cool conditions would be favourable for burning weeds but didn’t consider the winds.
Maximum wind gusts of 85kmh were recorded at Mt Boyce station on October 3.
To help out, email debbie@debbiefear.com. To date $1150 has been raised. To donate visit: https://www.gofundme.com/2sgcp38.