$1M fire:

David Gatcliffe, the 53-year-old son of retired businessman Tommy Gatcliffe, escaped death yesterday, when he fled from a burning house at 5, Broome Street, St Clair.

Gatcliffe suffered burns to the head, hands and back and was treated by doctors yesterday.

A party of officers from the St Clair Police Station led by Ag Inspector Helen Morris, and including Sgt Ajith Persad, and PC Ganga Singh went to the scene.

Gatcliffe told investigators that about 11 am, yesterday, he was asleep at the wooden and concrete house when he was awakened by the strong smell of smoke.

He discovered that the entire house was engulfed in flames and he made a quick dash out of the house and went to his father’s home from where he was taken to a doctor. Officers from the Woodbrook and Belmont Fire Stations under Fire Station Officer Green went to the scene but by the time they arrived, the house was already destroyed.

The cause of the fire remained unknown yesterday but Fire Prevention Officers carried out a check to ascertain the cause of the blaze.

The house was valued at over $1 million and is owned by Broome Investment.

A dog which lived at the house also suffered burns.