UPDATE 3.20pm: It is believed a working smoke alarm helped a man escape his burning Kangaroo Flat home without injury on Sunday morning, underscoring the importance of the devices.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Firefighters were called to the Railway Place home about 8.45am after multiple calls to emergency services and found the house well alight.
The only person in the home at the time got himself out and suffered no injury.
Incident controller Shayne Harris said he believed a smoke alarm had alerted the man to the fire and contributed to his safe escape.
Mr Harris said the incident highlighted just how importance it was to have working smoke detectors in the home.
The fire was brought under control within about 30 minutes.
The cause of the blaze was still under investigation as of yesterday afternoon.
Mr Harris said the house had sustained significant damage, but neighbouring properties were not affected.
Police, paramedics and workers from the utilities companies also attended the scene. Chapel and Railway streets were blocked for some time while firefighters worked on the house.
The CFA recommends old smoke alarms be replaced with new units that take a 10-year lithium battery.
The organisations also advises they be installed in every bedroom and living area and checked once a month.
CFA crews in Bendigo have attended a number of house fires in the last month.
Some were deemed suspicious, and one was believed to have possibly been caused by a child playing with a lighter.
EARLIER: A house has sustained significant damage in a fire on Sunday morning.
Emergency services were called to the property in Railway Street, Kangaroo Flat, about 8.45am after reports of smoke issuing from the building.
CFA incident controller Shayne Harris said the house was "well and truly" involved when crews arrived.
It took about 30 minutes for firefighters to bring the blaze under control.
The person in the home at the time escaped the fire and did not suffer injury.
There was no damage to neighbouring homes.
Mr Harris said it was too early yet to determine the cause of the blaze.
He said it had caused significant damage inside the home.
Chapel and Railway streets were blocked for some time as firefighters worked to control the blaze.
Paramedics, police and utilities workers also attended.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.