11 die in house fire, media say overcrowding

[BuildingBlocks]

A very sad event yesterday, with 11 people dying in a house fire in Logan.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/agony-of-three-survivors-over-11-lost-loved-ones-20110824-1jad6.html

The media starting jumping on the overcrowding bandwagon last night, alluding to this not happening if the house wasn't overcrowded. Those from various organisations for more affordable housing also jumped in.

Also worth mentioning is that there were 4 very large gas tanks stored underneath the house which caught fire and didn't help things in the slightest.

Do you believe that this was caused by overcrowding? I don't.

 

[lizzie]

Wasn't "caused" by overcrowding - but was exaserbated by it.

Although - they were all related, from Samoan descent and they do like to live in large family groups, so I suspect they "chose" to live this way rather than forced to.

The gas tanks didn't help - and assume the smoke alarms weren't working.

 

[joanmc]

Islander communities choose to live with their extended families as "it takes a village to raise a child" is very strong in their cultures.

I was wondering how long it would take the media to get all judgemental about this. Soon we will be hearing about how "unaustralian" it is to live with your extended family etc

What would have been the difference if it had been a slumber party? I have had sleep-overs here with more than 20 kids.

 

[sanj]

i wouldnt jump to any conclusions here, i spent 4 years of my childhood in singapore with 12 of us in 1 house, nothing malicious or worthy of headlines, for all we know it was the same scenario here

 

[Aaron Sice]

What would have been the difference if it had been a slumber party? I have had sleep-overs here with more than 20 kids.

amen - kudos.

the number of people in the house makes no difference.

what matters is that 11 people are dead and a lot of them are children. The grief felt by those left behind, who were rendered incapable by the fire must be beyond devasating. I can't imagine the hopelessness felt.

Close down this window.

Stare at the wall.

Now attempt to imagine the pain and torture of YOUR child burning a house fire, with you not being able to do a thing. Even just let a flash if the image run through your mind.

Now times that by seven for the number of kids one bloke lost.

Then add the rest of his family.

Anyone passing this off as "partially" the family to blame has lost any shred of humanity they may have harboured in their porcelain shell of an existence.

 

[marg4000]

The reason for the two families living together was that one family was in the process of relocating and staying with relatives, a not uncommon situation.

My sister and her husband have two sons and partners living with them. In a few months their other son and his family will be visiting for fortnight, and there will be at least 12 people living there at that time.

It happens.
Marg

 

[josko]

Islander communities choose to live with their extended families as "it takes a village to raise a child" is very strong in their cultures.

I was wondering how long it would take the media to get all judgemental about this. Soon we will be hearing about how "unaustralian" it is to live with your extended family etc

What would have been the difference if it had been a slumber party? I have had sleep-overs here with more than 20 kids.

So right, Joan.

What a ridiculous comment for the media to make.

Regards JO

 

[jaycee]

So right, Joan.

What a ridiculous comment for the media to make.

Regards JO

It's typical of us as society, this is mthe way we talk about others coldy wihtout humanity as Aaron Sice said

Unfortunately, it's not as simple as balming "them"

How un-Australian it is to live with your extended family has been suggested in the past many times, not necessarily in the media

 

[StefanA]

I hope they are able to find a cause for the fire, which apparently started around midnight. Will be a somber warning for the rest of us.

 

[Aaron_C]

There were gas bottles below the house.....that would kill anyone no matter how many people lived upstairs

 

[StefanA]

did they say if the gas bottles did a BLEVE? boiling liquid, expanding vapor explosion? anyone know if the bottles were outside the external walls or inside?

 

[BayView]

I hope they are able to find a cause for the fire, which apparently started around midnight. Will be a somber warning for the rest of us.

Why?.......

 

[StefanA]

Why?.......

Because arguably, that's the most that can come from a tragedy like this.

 

[BayView]

I still don't get it - where is the warning?

Will it be in the reason for the cause of the fire (I think this might be what you mean)

Is it in having too many people in the house?

Is it in living in QLD?

Is it in being in a house at midnight will 10 other Islanders?

Goddamn it - explain yerself, man!

 

[womble66]

did they say if the gas bottles did a BLEVE? boiling liquid, expanding vapor explosion? anyone know if the bottles were outside the external walls or inside?

heard they did not explode but rather the valve vented as designed when exposed to high temps.

 

[NBS]

The media will run with any story about this tragic incident any incident really to grab a headline.
There is no question that this is a very tragic event and it will be a long slow process to determine a cause. In the meantime a lot of theories will be tossed about, one just has to wait till the findings are out, as to the cause. When this is done some action may happen from there.

Gas cylinders under the house, so what, means nothing really I have a few here as I'm sure plenty on this site have also, not to mention various motorised fuels, fertilizers etc etc, nothing wrong about that just need to be stored safely.

I would be interested in how the insurance company (if there is one) will handle this situation. One would hope with a lot of compassion.

Brian

 

[josko]

I heard the grandfather, father talking...so sad. Just horrible to even imagine how theose children and adults suffered.

NBS: If the Queensland floods are anything to go by, where insurance is concerned there is no such thing as compassion. We can always hope.

Regards JO