Homeowners warned after heat gun sparks house fire

QUICK RESPONSE: Firefighters battle a house fire at Watkin St yesterday afternoon. PHOTO/ZARYD WILSON 150215WGCZWFIRE1

A heat gun sparked a house fire in Watkin St yesterday afternoon.

Firefighters were called to the property just after 4.30pm after a call from the owner. He had been using a heat gun to strip paint on the outside of the house before it caught alight. "As soon as I saw the smoke, I thought just ring them straight away," said the man, who did not want to be named.

"I was quite surprised how fast they got here. They were pretty on to it."

Firefighters contained the fire to one room of the house.

Senior Station Officer Gary Wilson said it was not uncommon for heat guns to start fires. He said the heat must have snuck through a gap in the cladding and set something alight.

Firefighters ripped off the iron roofing to put out the flames.

Mr Wilson said the damage was contained to the ceiling of one room and a small amount of water damage.

No one was injured.

Mr Wilson said it was a timely reminder for people using heat guns to finish the work well before the end of the day, so that if a fire was to flare up later it would not be at night.