Home Destroyed By Fire at Cessnock

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Fire crews were called to a home at Cessnock this morning, following reports a house fire had broken-out.

Four trucks arrived on-scene just before 8:00am, to find a weatherboard and iron home on Allandale Road was well alight.

It took about 16 firefighters half an hour to contain the blaze, and it was fully extinguished by 9:00am. 

The house was destroyed by the blaze. 

It's believed no one was inside the home at the time.

Police are now investigating the cause of the fire. 

 

 

BREAKING! Motorhome Goes Up In Flames At Stockton

BY IAN CROUCH

Police are investigating a fire which destroyed a motor home at Stockton overnight.

Firefighters were called to Fullerton Street just after midnight on Monday to find the vehicle, which was parked on the street, well alight.

It's taken them about 30 minutes to extinguish the flames.

Anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity in the area at the time is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Hunter Firefighters Deployed To Northern NSW To Fight Bushfires

BY IAN CROUCH

Firefighters from Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have been deployed to northern NSW as part of a strike team to help protect homes under threat from bushfires.

Strike Force Oscar is comprised of Fire and Rescue crews from Cardiff, Swansea, Charlestown, Teralba and Merewether, with 24 firefighters led by a Duty Commander from Newcastle.

They're joining crews from Dubbo, Delroy, Lightening Ridge and Brewarina on the ground at the Shark Creek fire just south of Yamba which has burnt through more than 7,700 hectares.

They'll remain in the area for as long as needed.

UPDATE! Belmont Bushfire Downgraded As Condtions Ease

BY IAN CROUCH

A bushfire emergency at Belmont has eased with the Rural Fire Service downgrading the blaze to Watch and Act staus.

Strong southerly winds which had been gusting up to 50 kilometres per hour  have now dropped back to around 35 kilometres per hour.

More than 30 fire trucks are at the scene with in excess of 100 firefighters providing property protection to homes east of Merleview Street from possible ember attack.

Where possible, backburning will be undertaken in a bid to contain the fire.

The Rural Fire Service says although the situation has eased, residents need to remain vigilant and be aware embers can be blown ahead of the fire and create spot fires in and around your property.

The RFS says residents in the area of Goulding Ave, Railway Crescent, Kalaroo Road, John Darling Ave, John Fisher Rd and Siloam Dr should follow their bush fire survival plan. If your plan is to leave, leave now before the fire threatens.

EARLIER:

An emergency warning has been issued for a large bushfire at Belmont.

Around 80 NSW and RFS firefighters with 20 fire trucks are undertaking property protection at Goulding Avenue, Railway Crescent and Kalaroo Road as well as John Darling Avenue, John Fisher Road and Siloam Drive.

The fire was first reported in Merleview Street at 6.45pm on Thursday and has burnt through 50 hectares.

Newcastle Fire Command says no properties are currently under direct threat from the fire and they have sufficient resources on the ground and more on standby to protect homes from ember attack.

For the latest information go to the NSW RFS website.

2NUR-FM will continue monitoring the situation and will keep listeners informed and up to date on the latest developments.

Firefighters Battle Blazes At Telarah And Muswellbrook

BY IAN CROUCH

Firefighters have been kept busy with separate blazes in the Hunter overnight.

Crews from Rutherford, Maitland and East Maitland were called to a single storey home on Capper Street at Telarah just after 9.30pm on Tuesday to find the house up in flames.

They took about half an hour to control the fire which caused damage to about 50 percent of the property

Police say the house was unoccupied and they are treating the fire as suspicious.

Meanwhile, fire has caused extensive damage to the interior of a former butcher shop and general store at Muswellbrook.

Crews from Muswellbrook and Aberdeen were called to Richmond Street just after 1.20am on Wednesday and took about an hour to extinguish the blaze in the vacant building.

Truck Crash Closes M1 Pacific Motorway at Mandalong

BY IAN CROUCH

Traffic is back to normal after a bad crash on the M1 at Mandalong overnight.

A southbound semi-trailer loaded with steel slammed into a slow-moving line marking truck at about 11 o'clock last night.

The two drivers escaped injury, however the motorway was closed for 4 hours while the crash scene was cleared.

Fire crews from Morisset and a Hazmat unit from Berkeley Vale cleaned up 400 of litres of diesel and 100 litres of hydraulic fluid from a 300 metre stretch of the motorway.

Police say the drivers returned negative roadside breath tests.

Investigations are continuing.

New Rule To Increase Safety For Emergency Service Workers

BY OLIVIA PORTELL

Emergency service workers in the Hunter are welcoming a new statewide rule that will require drivers to slow to 40 kilometres per hour when passing them on the roadside.

Police cars, ambulances, fire trucks and SES vehicles are subject to the rule when they have their lights flashing.

The rule aims to increase safety, following an incident in February where two highway patrol officers were struck by a speeding vehicle in Campbelltown.

The new rule will be trialled for twelve months, beginning in September.

Acting President of the Police Association Tony King says this is a smart move by the state government.

"Traffic slowing down to 40 kilometres per hour when police and other emergency services are on the roads with their lights flashing means safety," he says.

"We need to thank the government for introducing common-sense legislation like this that does enhance the safety of our members on our roads and for that matter, other road users as well."

"We really hope that the community out there and other road users will see this as a way to keep everyone safe."

House Up In Flames At Mannering Park

BY IAN CROUCH

Fire has engulfed a home at Mannering Park this morning.

NSW Fire & Rescue and RFS crews were called to the single story fibro home on Barclay Avenue just after 3.00am to find the house well alight.

Newcastle Fire Command says all occupants have been accounted for.

Firefighters have been hampered by the presence of asbestos, while part of the roof has collapsed.

The cause of the fire is not known at this stage, but it's not thought to be suspicious.

BREAKING! Fire Engulfs Unit At Hamilton South

BY IAN CROUCH

Fire has caused extensive damage to a unit at Hamilton South.

Firefighters from Newcastle and Merewether were called to the 14 unit complex in Fowler Street at 4.10am on Friday to find a ground floor apartments on fire.

All the residents of the unit block self evacuated and no-one was injured.

It took about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire, which was contained to the unit - crews are still mopping up.

Police are treating the blaze as suspicious and have set up a crime scene.