The Tamborine Mountain community has rallied to the rescue of a couple who have lost everything in a house fire.
Greg and Tania Buckley fled flames outside their bedroom window at 3am on Saturday the 14th after they were woken by a scratching noise outside.
“I thought a possum was on the roof,” Tania said.
“Greg said, ‘we’re on fire, get Glenn (their boarder) and get out’.
“I ran into his room screaming at him. We jumped in the cars and moved them.”
Greg attempted to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher and Tania ran to the neighbours for help.
“There was nothing we could do,” she said.
“The fire brigade was amazing. They were here in under 12 minutes, but every minute felt like an eternity watching our home going up in flames,” Greg said.
It took over two hours to put the fire out and Tania was treated by the ambulance for shock.
“It was horrible knowing what we’ve lost. Heartbreaking,” Tania said recounting all their precious belongings destroyed, including wedding photos and dress and everything from their children’s lives as well as documents and passports.
The couple said the power had been flickering the afternoon before and they called an electrician who was booked to come on the Saturday morning.
The fire started in the power box which was only installed two years ago.
“We’ve been through two earthquakes in New Zealand and the Christmas tornado and now a house fire and that was the worst,” they said.
They have only been in their dream house for four years and are still recovering from the tornado.
However, the community have been generous with the Lions Club paying for them to stay at the Eagle Heights Hotel.
The Manor, Gaslight and Monkey Tree have all provided meals and many other people have reached out to ask if they can help and even accommodation.
“They have opened their arms to us with their generosity and their kind thoughts,” Tania said.
“Knowing people are out there has helped emotionally. It might only be words, but they have gone a long way.”
The insurance company has deemed it a total loss and the Buckleys expect it will take up to a year to rebuild while they live in a caravan.
