A 71 year old man was using a angle grinder in dry grass on a hot day four days ago at Flowerdale, 1 hour north of Melbourne. It is still not controlled and has so far, burnt 2000 acres.
His excuse is "I was repairing a fence" At that age, I would have though he'd have enough life experience to not use a angle grinder in dry grass in summer!
If the fence was in desperate need of repair, then surely he could have put up a temporary fence.
Hope he has good Public Liability!!
Collo.
Craig1 said
12:18 PM Feb 24, 2023
He admitted full rresponsibilty, so insurer could opt out
Mariner30 said
12:59 PM Feb 24, 2023
Angle Grinders were one of the things that were on the list of tools not to be used on high fire risk days when l was a volunteer firefighteer more than 30 years ago in Victoria...and not too far from that fire now.
I wonder how long that man has been on the land...a lifetime or not long...the footage didn't show any sort of firefighting equipment...but it did look fairly steepish.
Anywho, just yesterday here in Tas the same thing happened...a fire started on a fairly large fire on a nearby farming property...angle grinder again,
Pretty windy day too...that windy l pushed the abort mission button on a fly fishing mission and returned to base.
Bolted through the plumes of smoke and got home.
Anywho, we counted 4 helicopters doing the water bomber thang the rest of the day.
Same number as ten days ago, though l heard that was a abandoned campfire.
86GTS said
03:22 PM Feb 24, 2023
Should've used an angle grinder on the silly old bastard.
-- Edited by 86GTS on Friday 24th of February 2023 03:23:44 PM
yobarr said
03:40 PM Feb 24, 2023
Mariner30 wrote:
Angle Grinders were one of the things that were on the list of tools not to be used on high fire risk days when l was a volunteer firefighteer more than 30 years ago in Victoria...and not too far from that fire now.
I wonder how long that man has been on the land ...a lifetime or not long...the footage didn't show any sort of firefighting equipment...but it did look fairly steepish.
Could be wrong, but I seem to remember that he had an accent similar to that of a native of the country between Ireland and France, so probably never even seen dry grass? Cheers
Whenarewethere said
03:53 PM Feb 24, 2023
There has been a few major buildings over the years burnt down as a result of angle grinders.
smwhiskey said
06:37 PM Feb 24, 2023
Collo wrote:
A 71 year old man was using a angle grinder in dry grass on a hot day four days ago at Flowerdale, 1 hour north of Melbourne. It is still not controlled and has so far, burnt 2000 acres.
His excuse is "I was repairing a fence" At that age, I would have though he'd have enough life experience to not use a angle grinder in dry grass in summer!.
I think its become a general thing. Being able to perform risk assessment has become a lost art form these days.
Simon
landy said
09:45 PM Feb 24, 2023
Mariner30 wrote:
Angle Grinders were one of the things that were on the list of tools not to be used on high fire risk days when l was a volunteer firefighteer more than 30 years ago in Victoria...and not too far from that fire now.
I wonder how long that man has been on the land...a lifetime or not long...the footage didn't show any sort of firefighting equipment...but it did look fairly steepish.
The footage I saw did show he had a reasonable size fire extinguisher on hand but claims the fire was away before he had a chance to use it. Landy
Mariner30 said
07:47 AM Feb 25, 2023
landy wrote:
Mariner30 wrote:
The footage I saw did show he had a reasonable size fire extinguisher on hand but claims the fire was away before he had a chance to use it. Landy
A hand held fire extinguisher ??
Out in those hills?
On that hot and windy day?
'E canna nowt be serious Mon...
Kebbin said
09:37 AM Feb 28, 2023
Must be a retired Solicitor ( that wasn't you DMaxer? Was it? ;) took the handheld fire extinguisher to cover his backside, he knew it could get out of control. The Magistrate will agree that he took reasonable precautions as his life skills amount to people telling him porkies all day long and he believes most of them.
-- Edited by Kebbin on Tuesday 28th of February 2023 09:38:29 AM
A 71 year old man was using a angle grinder in dry grass on a hot day four days ago at Flowerdale, 1 hour north of Melbourne. It is still not controlled and has so far, burnt 2000 acres.
His excuse is "I was repairing a fence" At that age, I would have though he'd have enough life experience to not use a angle grinder in dry grass in summer!
If the fence was in desperate need of repair, then surely he could have put up a temporary fence.
Hope he has good Public Liability!!
Collo.
I wonder how long that man has been on the land...a lifetime or not long...the footage didn't show any sort of firefighting equipment...but it did look fairly steepish.
Anywho, just yesterday here in Tas the same thing happened...a fire started on a fairly large fire on a nearby farming property...angle grinder again,
Pretty windy day too...that windy l pushed the abort mission button on a fly fishing mission and returned to base.
Bolted through the plumes of smoke and got home.
Anywho, we counted 4 helicopters doing the water bomber thang the rest of the day.
Same number as ten days ago, though l heard that was a abandoned campfire.
Should've used an angle grinder on the silly old bastard.
-- Edited by 86GTS on Friday 24th of February 2023 03:23:44 PM
Could be wrong, but I seem to remember that he had an accent similar to that of a native of the country between Ireland and France, so probably never even seen dry grass? Cheers
There has been a few major buildings over the years burnt down as a result of angle grinders.
I think its become a general thing. Being able to perform risk assessment has become a lost art form these days.
Simon
A hand held fire extinguisher ??
Out in those hills?
On that hot and windy day?
'E canna nowt be serious Mon...
Must be a retired Solicitor ( that wasn't you DMaxer? Was it? ;) took the handheld fire extinguisher to cover his backside, he knew it could get out of control.
The Magistrate will agree that he took reasonable precautions as his life skills amount to people telling him porkies all day long and he believes most of them.
-- Edited by Kebbin on Tuesday 28th of February 2023 09:38:29 AM