Neighbours describe horror as wedding marquee burned down
Neighbours have described their shock at watching a wedding marquee at a Melbourne home go up in flames.
The happy couple Dominic Pulitano and Tara Whelan, along with their family and friends were stranded after the fire broke out in Ringwood North on Saturday.
The guests were only just arriving at the front of the property when the fire started. Investigators believe the blaze was caused by an electrical fault on the dance floor in the marquee.
“Obviously they’re quite distressed, this is not what you plan when you have a wedding in your backyard,” Graeme Murphy of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade said.
Police and fire fighters closed down surrounding streets, as nearby residents watched on as gas cylinders exploded.
“Firstly it was just heaps of smoke, so I thought there’d be a massive bonfire or something, but then we saw a couple of flames and there was a few loud bangs,” witness Sebastian Costas said.
20 firefighters were able to put out the blaze in 10 minutes.
“Well it was quite scary there were black plumes of smoke, they all went up from the back of the house, and before we knew it the fire brigade, ambulance, they were all here,” witness Damian Taylor said.
“They all went up from the back of the house and before we knew it, fire brigade, ambulance, they were all here.”
Despite the bad luck Guests still made the most of the celebration, drinking what could be saved.
“They say that if it rains on your wedding day it means money, but this is a new one for me that’s for sure,” Mr Murphy said.
WorkSafe are now investigating the fire.
