A weekend in pictures

CFA volunteer and Public Affairs photographer Keith Pakenham was out and about last weekend capturing just some of the activity CFA brigades were involved in.

Here are three incidents Keith attended. Click on each photo to be taken to a gallery of shots.(All words and photos by Keith Pakenham)

Boat fire - Patterson River	A cabin cruiser had just finished refuelling at the Patterson River Marina when smoke was noticed coming from the engine bay. As the fire began to spread, a nearby boat owner emptied a 9 kg dry chemical fire extinguisher onto the fire slowing it down but not stopping it. The owner of the boat was forced to cut the boat free and allow it to drift away into Patterson River as fire crews raced to the scene. Patterson River Pumper initially attacked the boat fire as it drifted away from them into the river. Embers started a small grassfire, which was quickly extinguished near the fuel jetty. The Coast Guard arrived and carried CFA firefighters to the remains of the burning hull, while a crew from Patterson River Tanker on the North Bank helped to extinguish the fire. The boat owner escaped without injury.
House fire - Bangholme	A house was involved in fire in Bangholme on Saturday afternoon around 1:00 pm. The weatherboard house was well alight when the first crews arrived onscene. A "Make Tankers 5" was used to supply water to Springvale Pumper via other tankers relaying water in to the house because there is no reticulated water supply in the area. The cause of the fire is being investigated. Captain Lee Bostock from Keysborough Fire Brigade was the Officer in Charge.
Structure fire - Langwarrin	Frankston and Skye brigades responded to a building fire in Langwarrin early on Sunday morning (around 1:30am) to find a 30 metre X 10 metre building well alight. The large structure was on a building and garden supply property. Fire Officer Quarrier and crew who were first onscene made "Pumpers 4" and Dandenong's Hydraulic Platform was called in to battle the blaze from above. Skye Fire Brigade Captain Peter Brown was the Incident Controller. Crews managed to contain the fire to the one structure and prevented it from spreading to adjoining properties. CFA Fire Investigators have assessed the damage and it has been handed over to Police as a crime scene.