"We've Lost Everything"

A fire that recently tore through an entire Toolamba family home has Victorian fire services calling for residents to inspect the condition of electrical items that are stored in garages.

On Tuesday 10 June, it took just a matter of minutes for a raging fire, believed to have been started by an old fridge or the double adapter it was plugged into, to move with force through the roof space of the Evans' garage and into their home.

Mother of two, Jacqui, was wrapping her daughter's birthday presents before she heard large explosions that ultimately lead to the destruction of her home.

The Evans family tragically lost everything.

"I did notice a funny smell when I got home and unpacked the car, but it wasn't major, so I didn't think anything of it," Jacqui said.

"I then heard a bang, but I thought the wood in our fireplace had just moved, so I went to have a look, but instead I saw smoke and realised it was coming through the corner of the door from the garage with flames not far behind it.

"I ran outside and called Triple Zero (000). The noise was so loud that my neighbours called too."

After another loud explosion, assumed to be the car inside the garage, the fire ripped through the house.

"I just remember screaming 'that's my life in there!'. All I wanted was for my kids' stuff to be saved," Jacqui said.

"You just don't expect this to happen to you. We've lost everything.

"My son is in year 12, so it has impacted his studies, and both he and my daughter are most upset about losing our cat, Milly.

By the time Michael Evans got home, the house had burnt to the ground.

"We were just so lucky it didn't happen at night when we were inside sleeping," Michael said.

"Our fridge was in good condition, and we hadn't felt the need to check it recently.

"Our garage was probably a bit cluttered, but I wouldn't say it was so much that you couldn't move.

The distressing incident joins the further 104 garage fires CFA and FRV fire crews responded to between May 2024 and March 2025.

The Evans family are hoping to build a similar house, with a few fire-safe modifications.

"We'll install more smoke alarms and expand the size of the garage," Michael said.

"We've been looking into new power boards with overload protection, and we will get our appliances checked more often.

"Since the incident, a few of my mates have already moved their fridges and cleaned and checked behind them."

While the Evans family had new working smoke alarms in their house, CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan encourages residents to install interconnected smoke alarms in areas where devices are charged or stored, such as garages, to allow all alarms to sound.

"Simple additions can make all the difference to your family's safety, as can inspecting your equipment each year for any damages. If they require repairs, have them done by a certified tradesperson," Jason said.

FRV Deputy Commissioner, Community Safety, Joshua Fischer said keeping all garages free of clutter is another easy step you can take to safeguard your family.

"A great deal of flammable material can be found in a garage that will allow fires to quickly take hold, such as petrol cans, gas cylinders, other chemicals or lithium-ion batteries, so care needs to be taken when storing these items," Joshua said.

CFA and FRV recommend the following advice when it comes to ensuring your garage is fire safe:

• Always store hazardous items, including petrol, cleaning fluids, paints, garden fertilisers and acids, according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Keep all labelling of chemicals intact and readable, including warning labels and manufacturer's instructions, and keep the chemicals in their original containers.
• Store, keep and use chemicals and dangerous goods away from ignition sources and ensure they are secured out of reach of children.
• Only plug in one electrical device per outlet. Do not overload power boards, 'piggyback' plugs into one outlet or use double adaptors.
• Ensure all electrical equipment should have an Australian Standard or a regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM).
• If your home was built more than 30 years ago, get your wiring checked by a licensed electrician.