Vic: Girl suffers face burns in house fire

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2004
Vic: Girl suffers face burns in house fire

MELBOURNE, April 7 AAP - A six-year-old girl suffered facial burns in a house fire
in Victoria's south-west today.

The girl was burned in the fire that broke out at a house in Scott Street, Heywood,
just before 1pm (AEST).

She was being treated in hospital this afternoon.

CFA spokesman Alex Twomey said the girl's father was home at the time of the fire,
which destroyed a bedroom and damaged the rest of the house.

"What's worrying for us is that this is after four children perished in Tasmania in
a house fire," he said.

"Also yesterday, we had a near miss at Wodonga where two young children were at home
sleeping when their house was struck by lightning, causing a fire in the roof and they
managed to get out.

"This early in the winter fire season we've already had one tragedy, one girl injured
and one near miss."

Four children died in Tasmania when a fire ripped through a house in Scotchtown in
the state's north-west on Sunday night.

The fire claimed the lives of seven year-old Joshua Cohen; his sister Claire, 12, and
their friends, Tayla Braid and Danni Wigg, both 13, of Smithton, who were sleeping over
for the night.

Mr Twomey urged parents to ensure smoke alarms were working and heaters were two metres
from objects such as beds and curtains.

"Keep a close eye on children, especially around heaters," he said.

AAP kw/dk/pw/brs

KEYWORD: BURNS

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