Shortest drive ever to fire callout

SWIFT RESPONSE: In what could be the closest fire callout for the Featherston Fire Brigade, an unattended pot on a stove at a house in Fox St prompted a call-out directly opposite the fire station (pictured in the background).

Not left, not right, but straight ahead.

In what might be the closest callout for the Featherston fire brigade, the fire appliance was able to drive directly from the Fox St fire station, across the road to the driveway opposite.

The crew was responding to a Friday 111 call after unattended cooking caused a kitchen fire. The homeowners, Blair and Arya Franklin, were able to put the fire out, but they chose to call emergency services first - a move praised by senior station officer Lee McKenna.

"They've done the right thing," Mr McKenna said.

"Kitchen fires turn into house fires very quickly.

"Just call us immediately, that's what it's all about."

The couple said without their smoke alarm alerting them, things would have been much worse. They were concerned about damage to the kitchen's joinery, which they had only just painted.

Mr Franklin's in-laws were shortly due for a visit and would not now see the work they had done in the kitchen.

"We didn't have a chance to show it off to the family."

Their four-year-old, Darius, summed it up to a neighbour.

"We had a broken kitchen, so we called 111."

His next concern was the TV not working, but he was told power would be on shortly.

Fire chief Colin McKenna said it was the first time the fire engine had been driven home entirely in reverse.