Margaret and Stephen, who declined to disclose their surname, lost their family home of more than two decades on Saturday night when a fire spread from a bedside table to a mattress and the ceiling. 

The house was destroyed and took firefighters more than an hour to contain.

“I just want to make people aware of how quickly fire can spread,” Margaret said.

“It spread to the whole house within five minutes – if we had had children in the house it could have been far worse.”

Margaret and Stephen were watching the football just after 11pm when Stephen, a volunteer firefighter, noticed smoke coming from the bedroom. 

Within a five minute period most of the house became engulfed by fire and the couple were left standing out the front of their burning property with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

More than 11 CFA crews were called to the Ballan-Daylesford Road fire at 11.18pm. They arrived to find the occupants safe and evacuated – but the property was well alight.

CFA fire services controller Glenn Thompson said  the fire was deemed under control just before 1am.

He said the number of tankers on site suggested water access had been an issue.

Since the fire took everything from the community minded couple the Daylesford and Spargo Creek communities have rallied behind them – donating money, clothes, accommodation and necessities.

“The support has just been overwhelming,” Margaret said.

“It’s most heartening.” 

The couple have accommodation for the next few weeks while they sort out their next steps. They plan to rebuild in Spargo Creek.

Margaret hopes to get the silver thimble, a family heirloom, polished and plans to wear it around her neck.

“It’s symbolic because it belonged to my husband’s mother, but it is also a symbol of survival,” Margaret said.

“We will just take each day as it comes.”