Fatal ‘inferno’

WARRACKNABEAL apprentice butcher Lachlan Ronald Young, 17 was found deceased at the scene of a house fire at 8 Gould-st Warracknabeal on Sunday morning.
Mr Young moved from Taree in New South Wales with his father Michael Young and his fathers partner Wendy Ellis, the new leasees of Warracknabeal's Palace Hotel.
Mr Young was renting the house and had started his butchers apprenticeship about six months ago.
Warracknabeal Urban Fire Brigade members were called to the weatherboard structure fire at about 5.15 am Sunday morning, to discover the house fully ablaze.
Call
WUFB captain Ron Zanker said neighbours called triple zero multiple times from about 5.10am, also saying they believed there was someone in the house.
"Neighbours, who were first on the scene, had tried their hardest to raise any people in the house by knocking on doors and windows, with no success," Mr Zanker said.
"We had more than 15 members attend, along with two trucks and the forward command vehicle," he said.
"By the time we arrived the house was an inferno. The fire had spread quickly and was in the roof, the walls and under the floor."
"The fire was so fierce we had to put water on it before it was safe enough to send members in with breathing apparatus' to search the house."
Discovered
Mr Zanker said once it was safe to enter the house, fire brigade members discovered Mr Young sitting in a chair in the living room.
The fire took about two hours to extinguish with fire brigade members at the scene for about three and a half hours.
Mr Zanker said because it was a total fire ban day and fire brigade members returned in the afternoon, along with fire investigators, to make sure there were no hot spots and to investigate the scene further.
Arson Explosive Squad Detective Sergeant Paul Tierney, who is investigating on behalf of the coroner, said fire investigators believed the fire started in the kitchen, at the rear of the house, and that the deceased had been found towards the front.
Reminder
"We also believe that smoke alarms had been fitted to the house," Det Sgt Tierney said.
"This is a timely reminder to everyone to make sure there are working smoke alarms fitted near bedrooms, living areas and kitchens," he said.
Yarriambiack Shire ranger and local laws officer Greg Wilson was recently surveying the building on behalf of the building inspector and reminded people to stay away from the building because of asbestos related toxins.
Police are calling for any witness that may have seen the fire initially to either contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit Warracknabeal Police Station.
Mourning
The Warracknabeal community is mourning for Mr Young, with some youths placing flowers and mementoes at the scene of the fire.
One youth, a close friend of Mr Young's, spent Monday afternoon in silent vigil, mourning the loss of her friend.
Warracknabeal Secondary College principal Tony Fowler said although Mr Young had attended the college for a short period of time at the beginning of 2011, the school had three Department of Education psychologists attend the school on Monday.
"It is now just a matter of keeping an eye on children impacted by this devastating event and keeping the lines of communication open for them," Mr Fowler said.