House Destroyed By Fire At Cessnock

BY IAN CROUCH

Police are investigating a suspicious house fire at Cessnock early Wednesday.

Firefighters from 5 stations and the RFS were called to the unoccupied single level home in Alkira Avenue at 1.30am to find the house well alight.

It's taken more than two-and-a-half hours to extinguish and mop up the blaze which destroyed the home.

A crime scene has been set up as investigations continue.

Fire crews mop up the smouldering home in Alkira Avenue Pictures: Kearsley Fire & Rescue

House Destroyed By Fire At Cessnock

BY IAN CROUCH

Fire has destroyed at house at Cessnock overnight.

Fire crews from Cessnock. Bellbird, Kearsley and Paxton were called to the brick and tile home in Alkira Avenue at 11.45 last night, arriving to find the house well alight.

Newcastle Fire Command says a resident of the home managed to escape without injury.

It took firefighters about an hour to bring the blaze under control and more than four hours to fully extinguish and mop up the fire.

Fire investigators are working to determine how the cause of the fire.

UPDATE: Man Sought After Young Girl Approached At Cessnock

BY IAN CROUCH

Police have spoken to the driver of a white HiLux ute who was being sought over an alleged child approach incident at Cessnock.

As we reported on Thursday, a 10-year-old girl claimed she and a group of children were followed by the man in his car on Wednesday afternoon before she was confronted by the driver in a nearby reserve who spoke to her before driving off.

Police caught up with man yesterday and it turns out he was annoyed after the children took fruit from his lemon tree - he decided to get in his car and follow them to give them a fright.

Officers counselled him about the appropriateness of his actions and no charges have been laid.

EARLIER:

Police are appealing for help to identify a man who approached a young girl at Cessnock.

The 10-year-old was walking with a group of children along Yilgarn Avenue at about 4.00pm on Wednesday when they noticed a white Toyota HiLux ute following them.

The children fled and a short time later the young girl was walking towards Old Maitland Road when the ute stopped in the reserve between Anzac Avenue and Alkira Avenue and the driver got out and spoke to her, but she ran off and the man drove away with the vehicle seen heading west along Anzac Avenue.

The man is described as being Caucasian in his early 20's with short dark hair. He was wearing brown shorts and a brown jumper. It's believed he has tattoos on his arm and leg.
 
Inspector Michael Gorman from Cessnock Police is urging anyone who saw the incident or knows the whereabouts of the vehicle to contact them.

"(It's) a very concerning incident with young people being approached, so we're certainly asking anyone who was in the vicinity of Anzac Avenue and Yilgarn Avenue around 4pm yesterday and may have seen the interaction between the male and the young girl or the vehicle driving off to please contact Cessnock Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, " he said.