By Mikayla van Loon
Residents and neighbours of Maralee Drive in Mooroolbark are, today, coming to terms with the fatal fire that occurred on the street on Monday 5 September.
A woman and her two children had been trapped inside the house, with CFA crews having to pull them from the burning structure.
While the children were transported to hospital with smoke inhalation, the mother could not be saved having also suffered stomach injuries.
Alisha O’Brien, who has been house and pet sitting for a friend, was first alerted something was wrong as multiple emergency service vehicles came into the street with lights flashing.
“We just had some dinner and the lights from the trucks were all the way down the street, so I didn’t notice the smoke or anything but I came out and then saw the house was on fire,” she said.
“All the neighbours were watching and we didn’t know where the father was. After some time he came, he couldn’t even park up the street so he came running up.
“Then we realised there were people in the house and it looked like the house could burn down.”
Ms O’Brien said after firefighters had controlled some of the flames they were able to get into the house, first pulling out the woman, followed by the two children.
“It’s the most awful tragedy you can imagine. The effort was extraordinary because it looked as though the whole family had perished. Bringing them out, they just looked lifeless,” she said.
“The girl was covered in a blanket. The boy I saw was unconscious, I saw his face, he was in another ambulance.”
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson confirmed the two primary school aged children were taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital in a serious condition.
Clearly still shaken by the events of the night before and trying to process what had happened, Ms O’Brien said “I’m just so sorry for that family and the kids, I hope they’re ok.”
Detectives and the forensic team were at the property most of the morning on Tuesday 6 September, taking photographs and gathering evidence.
The exact circumstances leading up to the fire are still being determined, however, police are not looking for anyone else at this time.
Looking on as police, paramedics and firefighters worked to bring the fire under control and attempt to save the woman’s life, Ms O’Brien said it was “extraordinary.”
“It was horrible. I really thought the whole family had perished and just how the emergency responders worked, they were extraordinary. They worked so hard to help and they were incredibly distraught as well. It was terrible.”
