By Aleksandra Bliszczyk
The remains of two people were discovered on Monday afternoon after a large house fire near Tallarook on Sunday night.
Police confirmed the two victims, aged 42 and 10, were residents of the property on Tallarook-Pyalong Road.
A third resident, a 75-year-old family member and grandmother, was unharmed. She was inside a detached bungalow on the property at the time and made the first emergency call to triple zero.
The fire was also reported by neighbours who saw smoke and flames late on Sunday night.
The blaze engulfed the single-storey weatherboard house, the main residence on the property, which was completely destroyed.
Shepparton police acting Inspector Michael Layton said the fire burned out of control for about two hours while Country Fire Authority crews battled the flames.
“At 10pm [Sunday] night there was a report through one of the neighbours that a house was on fire,” he said.
“The local crews from Tallarook, Pyalong and surrounds were called, and it took some time to bring the fire under control.”
Nine CFA trucks and 40 firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control just after 12.30am.
The arson squad and Fire Rescue Victoria are now investigating the scene to determine the cause, which Inspector Layton said would take some time.
“The process is fairly long and it’s forensic,” he said.
Several triple zero calls were made by neighbouring residents, some who reported hearing explosions.
Yesterday afternoon Insp Layton said investigators had not found any explosives at the site.
“I’m aware that there’s been some reports of pyrotechnic-type equipment. All of that will form part of an investigation,” he said.
“It’s very early in this investigation, it’s active and ongoing and will go on for some time.”
Insp Layton said the tragedy would wound the Tallarook community deeply.
“These types of things in that small country and close-knit community, they certainly strike at the heart,” he said.
“It’s a tragedy.
“It’s something that the local community will feel … for some time.”
