Australians issued winter warning as risk of cheap electric products, including electric blankets, revealed
Just this week, 92-year-old Wal Clarke returned to his Daceyville home in Sydney's south after a devastating fire tore through the property at the end of May and nearly killed his partner Maria.
Maria was home alone and fast asleep when the smoke alarm jolted her awake.
She managed to escape as the fire took hold, but ran back inside to try and save the couple's dog.
'The fireman actually found Maria at the back door,' Wal told 7NEWS.
'At that stage, they think she only had one minute to live.'
Maria survived, but tragically, their dog did not.
Fire investigators believe an overloaded powerboard was to blame for the blaze.
'Probably (had) contact with the bedding - this is what caused the fire,' Wal said. 'It is so easy.'
Fire and Rescue NSW say this tragic scene is one they see far too often in winter.
'People have got power pulling out of all outlets of the power board - it's a recipe for disaster,' NSW Fire and Rescue Inspector Adam Dewberry warned. 'They do catch fire.'
Cheap or faulty electric blankets, heaters, and powerboards are among the most common causes of fatal winter house fires.
This year, consumer group CHOICE has issued urgent advice for Australians looking to stay warm, urging them to buy quality products and beware of cheap imitations online.
It's latest testing of electric blankets rated products not only on performance, but on its safety and cost.
Choice's top safe choices:
Retailers say spending a little more upfront is an investment in safety, especially for appliances that go in bedrooms.
'You're going to get that reassurance that you're putting something safe in your home - which is the most important thing,' Skyler Talbot from Harvey Norman said.
'It's going in your room, a kid's room - you don't want to take a risk on something like that.'
A recent training video shared by firefighters shows how a bedroom can be fully engulfed in flames in just minutes after an electric blanket malfunctions.
Firefighters' Winter Safety Tips:
This winter, the message is clear: Fire doesn't give second chances. Choose safe, quality electric products as your life may depend on it.
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SBS Australia
4 hours ago
- SBS Australia
80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific marked across Australia
80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific marked across Australia Published 15 August 2025, 8:41 am Commemorations have taken place in Australia to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific, the day that marked the end of the Second World War. Almost a million Australians served their country from 1939 to 1945 and more than 39,000 people died.
The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Lessons 'not learnt' 80 years on from World War II
Memories of those who have served and those who fell before the end of the Second World War have been carried forward, 80 years on. Services across the nation marked the Victory in the Pacific anniversary on Friday, with commemorations held at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the State War Memorial in Perth and the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Braving frosty conditions, Maureen Bell, from Brighton in Melbourne's southeast, commemorated her father Bert Jones' memory, proudly wearing his war medals at the Shrine. She remembered her dad as one of many who never talked seriously about the war, instead telling funny stories of his service to ease the memory of terrible times. "He said he was called Screamer because they would play AFL football in New Guinea and he'd jump up and take a mark and everybody would say that was a screamer of a mark," she reminisced. "But I found out decades later that dad was called Screamer because he was really loud." Ms Bell said she was proud of her dad's legacy, but lamented the human race hasn't learnt from past mistakes. "It's important to honour those that have gone before us and made incredible sacrifices, endured horrendous torture and sadness, but we don't seem to learn from it," she told AAP. "We keep doing it unfortunately." Phil Ward attended the Sydney service to honour his father's legacy in the 2/20th battalion in Singapore, having survived internment and the Burma railway. The commemorations represented the "enduring gratitude" to those who defend our freedoms, Mr Ward said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked VP Day, when Japan accepted the Allied forces' terms of surrender sparking the end of World War II, by paying tribute to soldiers' courage and the stories of endless longing for the home many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." Despite the jubilation that came from the victory, there was also sorrow for those who perished. RSL Victoria President Mark Schroffel said there were countless unsung heroes who never returned home to tell their stories or had the chance to have a family. "That's particularly sad for them, and hopefully what we're doing today will help preserve their memory," he said. "The sacrifice and the loss was a terrible time for the world and we need to remember that even though a victory was declared, nobody really wins." Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Memories of those who have served and those who fell before the end of the Second World War have been carried forward, 80 years on. Services across the nation marked the Victory in the Pacific anniversary on Friday, with commemorations held at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the State War Memorial in Perth and the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Braving frosty conditions, Maureen Bell, from Brighton in Melbourne's southeast, commemorated her father Bert Jones' memory, proudly wearing his war medals at the Shrine. She remembered her dad as one of many who never talked seriously about the war, instead telling funny stories of his service to ease the memory of terrible times. "He said he was called Screamer because they would play AFL football in New Guinea and he'd jump up and take a mark and everybody would say that was a screamer of a mark," she reminisced. "But I found out decades later that dad was called Screamer because he was really loud." Ms Bell said she was proud of her dad's legacy, but lamented the human race hasn't learnt from past mistakes. "It's important to honour those that have gone before us and made incredible sacrifices, endured horrendous torture and sadness, but we don't seem to learn from it," she told AAP. "We keep doing it unfortunately." Phil Ward attended the Sydney service to honour his father's legacy in the 2/20th battalion in Singapore, having survived internment and the Burma railway. The commemorations represented the "enduring gratitude" to those who defend our freedoms, Mr Ward said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked VP Day, when Japan accepted the Allied forces' terms of surrender sparking the end of World War II, by paying tribute to soldiers' courage and the stories of endless longing for the home many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." Despite the jubilation that came from the victory, there was also sorrow for those who perished. RSL Victoria President Mark Schroffel said there were countless unsung heroes who never returned home to tell their stories or had the chance to have a family. "That's particularly sad for them, and hopefully what we're doing today will help preserve their memory," he said. "The sacrifice and the loss was a terrible time for the world and we need to remember that even though a victory was declared, nobody really wins." Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Memories of those who have served and those who fell before the end of the Second World War have been carried forward, 80 years on. Services across the nation marked the Victory in the Pacific anniversary on Friday, with commemorations held at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the State War Memorial in Perth and the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Braving frosty conditions, Maureen Bell, from Brighton in Melbourne's southeast, commemorated her father Bert Jones' memory, proudly wearing his war medals at the Shrine. She remembered her dad as one of many who never talked seriously about the war, instead telling funny stories of his service to ease the memory of terrible times. "He said he was called Screamer because they would play AFL football in New Guinea and he'd jump up and take a mark and everybody would say that was a screamer of a mark," she reminisced. "But I found out decades later that dad was called Screamer because he was really loud." Ms Bell said she was proud of her dad's legacy, but lamented the human race hasn't learnt from past mistakes. "It's important to honour those that have gone before us and made incredible sacrifices, endured horrendous torture and sadness, but we don't seem to learn from it," she told AAP. "We keep doing it unfortunately." Phil Ward attended the Sydney service to honour his father's legacy in the 2/20th battalion in Singapore, having survived internment and the Burma railway. The commemorations represented the "enduring gratitude" to those who defend our freedoms, Mr Ward said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked VP Day, when Japan accepted the Allied forces' terms of surrender sparking the end of World War II, by paying tribute to soldiers' courage and the stories of endless longing for the home many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." Despite the jubilation that came from the victory, there was also sorrow for those who perished. RSL Victoria President Mark Schroffel said there were countless unsung heroes who never returned home to tell their stories or had the chance to have a family. "That's particularly sad for them, and hopefully what we're doing today will help preserve their memory," he said. "The sacrifice and the loss was a terrible time for the world and we need to remember that even though a victory was declared, nobody really wins." Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046 Memories of those who have served and those who fell before the end of the Second World War have been carried forward, 80 years on. Services across the nation marked the Victory in the Pacific anniversary on Friday, with commemorations held at the Sydney Cenotaph, the National War Memorial in Canberra, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the State War Memorial in Perth and the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Braving frosty conditions, Maureen Bell, from Brighton in Melbourne's southeast, commemorated her father Bert Jones' memory, proudly wearing his war medals at the Shrine. She remembered her dad as one of many who never talked seriously about the war, instead telling funny stories of his service to ease the memory of terrible times. "He said he was called Screamer because they would play AFL football in New Guinea and he'd jump up and take a mark and everybody would say that was a screamer of a mark," she reminisced. "But I found out decades later that dad was called Screamer because he was really loud." Ms Bell said she was proud of her dad's legacy, but lamented the human race hasn't learnt from past mistakes. "It's important to honour those that have gone before us and made incredible sacrifices, endured horrendous torture and sadness, but we don't seem to learn from it," she told AAP. "We keep doing it unfortunately." Phil Ward attended the Sydney service to honour his father's legacy in the 2/20th battalion in Singapore, having survived internment and the Burma railway. The commemorations represented the "enduring gratitude" to those who defend our freedoms, Mr Ward said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked VP Day, when Japan accepted the Allied forces' terms of surrender sparking the end of World War II, by paying tribute to soldiers' courage and the stories of endless longing for the home many never saw again. Almost one million Australians served in uniform during the war, but 40,000 never got to see its conclusion. About 66,000 were wounded, while many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. "Every life and dream and future swallowed in that vortex of madness and cruelty, from every battlefield and every burning city, from the prisoner of war camps to the unprecedented horror of the concentration camps," Mr Albanese said. "These were nightmares made real - not by monsters but by human beings in a grotesque perversion of humanity." Despite the jubilation that came from the victory, there was also sorrow for those who perished. RSL Victoria President Mark Schroffel said there were countless unsung heroes who never returned home to tell their stories or had the chance to have a family. "That's particularly sad for them, and hopefully what we're doing today will help preserve their memory," he said. "The sacrifice and the loss was a terrible time for the world and we need to remember that even though a victory was declared, nobody really wins." Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. Federal Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the day marked the end of a great darkness - brought on by the most devastating global conflict in human history. Lifeline 13 11 14 Open Arms 1800 011 046
7NEWS
19 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Fallen heroes honoured as Australia marks 80 years since end of World War II
A country boy who flew a B-24 bomber over Borneo in July 1945 did not live long enough to witness the end of World War II. Warrant Officer Class 2 Frederick Balfe Emanuel died mere weeks before Victory in the Pacific Day on August 15, when Japan announced its unconditional surrender to the Allies. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Fallen heroes remembered 80 years after end of WWII. At age 22, Emanuel enlisted in the Australian army serving in Papua New Guinea before joining the Far Eastern Liaison Office, where he took part in dangerous reconnaissance missions. He is being honoured at the Australian War Memorial on Friday, as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of the bloody war that reached its shores coming to a fateful end. 'His story is a heartbreaking reminder of how close some came to seeing peace yet never returned home,' memorial director Matt Anderson said. 'This is honouring a country boy who became a Sydneysider yet did not survive to finish his story.' Other commemorations include a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft conducting a flypast over the National War Memorial in Adelaide. Australia played a significant role in the Pacific during World War II, fighting against Japan from 1941 to 1945. Initially, Australian forces engaged in campaigns in Malaya and Singapore. After the bombing of Darwin in February 1942, the focus shifted to defending the Australian mainland and supporting the US-led counteroffensive in the Pacific. RSL national president Greg Melick said the occasion was an important time for Australia to recognise the sacrifices of so many fallen soldiers. 'For Australians, that day meant that the Second World War was finally over,' he said. 'As the number of WWII veterans dwindle, it is vital that we commemorate their collective contribution to our liberty and way of life.' He said nearly one million Australians, about one in seven of the population at the time, served in uniform during the Second World War. Almost 40,000 died and 66,000 were wounded. Many thousands more became prisoners of war, with 8000 dying in captivity. 'The end of the war brought heartache for many families when, after years of waiting for news of the missing, they were told that their loved ones were not coming home,' Mr Melick said.
