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A volunteer firefighter has died while trying to contain a suspicious fire at a property, while several others also burned in nearby streets.
The man was fighting a fire at a house in Short Street, Portland, in western Victoria, at 7.38pm on Tuesday when he collapsed at the scene.
The fire was one of four sources of fire that were probably ignited after a fire between 5:50 a.m. and 7:38 a.m. The fire was discovered in a garbage bin at the corner of Percy and Gawler streets.
Less than an hour later, another fire was ignited at a bollard on Cape Nelson Road at around 6.40am.
Police were called to a garage fire on Camira Street at around 7am, while the fourth and final fire was set at 7.38am in a shed and toilet room on Short Street, which volunteer firefighters attempted to contain.
A volunteer firefighter died Tuesday morning while trying to control a suspicious fire in western Victoria (stock image of fire trucks outside a fire station)
The man was a member of the Country Fire Authority, Victoria’s volunteer fire brigade.
The group confirmed the man had died in a Facebook post earlier this afternoon and said paramedics who rushed to the scene administered CPR to the man but he could not be saved.
Fire and rescue crews were also on the scene.
“CFA can unfortunately confirm the death of a member while attending a barn fire incident in Portland this morning,” the newspaper wrote.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the Portland Brigade member’s family, friends and colleagues.”
The man who was a member of the Country Fire Authority (stock image) battled a suspicious fire outside a property in Portland, while three other fires were also burning nearby
The 66-year-old man has yet to be identified and is believed to have suffered a medical episode while trying to fight the fire.
His death is not considered suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
A Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia police believe the fires are linked.
No other injuries were reported.
A spokesperson for Fire and Rescue Victoria told Daily Mail that firefighters responded to reports of the second fire on Camira Street, with the cause of the fire and the fire on Short Street unknown.
“At this stage the cause of both fires remains under investigation,” the spokesperson said.
‘FRV expresses its deepest condolences to the family, friends and brigade members of the volunteer firefighter.’
Both WorkSafe authorities and detectives from the Arson and Explosives Squad will investigate the incident.
Anyone with information or CCTV footage is asked to contact police.