Esperance Santa ends season in a blaze of glory

A few surprised onlookers who saw Santa go up in flames in Esperance joked they thought the New Year’s Eve pyrotechnics had started early.

But luckily for the real man in red, the Santa surrounded by smoke on Andrew Street in Esperance was made of plastic and the centrepiece of the street’s Christmas lights display.

The Esperance Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service and Horizon Power were called to the small fire about 7pm on Sunday.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services confirmed those who attended were greeted by “tinsel on fire around a Santa Claus figure”.
“By (7.28pm) the fire was out,” a DFES spokeswoman said.

Kalgoorlie resident Robyn Williams, who was across the road waiting for a pizza, said people rushed from the beach to take photos.
“There were a few people standing around,’ she said.

“Sparkies were there as they had to turn off the street light above so they could spray the fire with water. It was a Father Christmas tinsel decoration on the centre pole of the street.”

The Shire of Esperance, which is responsible for the decorative display, could not be contacted for comment.

However, a Shire spokesman told the Kalgoorlie Miner in October decoration options for the future were being investigated amid speculation the lights would not be set up in 2014.

“Council will purchase new decorations early next year in order to make the allocated funding go further,” the Shire spokesman said.