Elderly woman escapes house fire

An elderly Holocaust survivor is lucky to be alive after another house fire caused
by ceiling insulation installed under the federal government's botched scheme.
Edith Preston, 80, tried to put out the fire in her Ormond unit, in Melbourne's
southeast, by filling buckets with water from the shower after being woken by a fire
alarm.
After a call to emergency services by neighbours, fire crews arrived just after
4.30am (AEST) on Friday.
"When we actually got there it was pretty much, she was on her last legs we think.
She was getting overcome by the smoke in the room," Metropolitan Fire Brigade media
spokesman John Rees told AAP.
"While she was a brave lady to stay there and try and handle that fire by herself we
really don't recommend it.
"She was lucky to get away, in fact we're quite lucky it wasn't a fatality."
Mr Rees said fire investigators had determined the blaze was caused by insulation
that had come into contact with the electrical wiring of the laundry ceiling exhaust
fan.
Ms Preston was taken to The Alfred hospital to be treated for shock and smoke
inhalation.
Her granddaughter, Judith Preston, 25, said her grandmother was held at the
Ravensbrück concentration camp in northern Germany during World War II.
"Her and her sister were the only survivors from her family," she told AAP.
Ms Preston said her grandmother, who is expected to remain in hospital for several
days, was unable to call the fire brigade because her phone was dead.
"So she did the next thing that came to mind, which was to pick up a bucket of water
and start throwing it on the fire," she said.
"I don't think she planned to be heroic or anything, I think she didn't know what to
do once she couldn't ring anyone and the flames were right in front of her."
Ms Preston said her grandmother had the insulation installed under the federal
government scheme last year.
The government axed the $2.5 billion scheme this year after it was linked to the
deaths of four installers and more than 120 house fires.
Energy Efficiency Minister Greg Combet confirmed the house was insulated in January
through the government's program and said compliance action will be taken if it is
proven that insulation caused the fire.
A safety audit will also be completed.
Mr Combet wished Ms Preston a speedy recovery and acknowledged "her courageous
behaviour".
He urged any householders who had concerns relating to the scrapped insulation
scheme to contact 131 792 for a roof inspection.