Candle blamed for hoarder house fire east of Melbourne

A candle has been blamed as the cause of a fire that destroyed a cluttered home east of Melbourne early this morning.

The 4.30am blaze was fueled by exploding gas cylinders, and firefighting efforts were hampered by junk in the yard and home.

“We honestly didn’t know what else was in there, when you have a property like this you don’t know what to expect,” Victoria Country Fire Authority firefighter Brian Halit said. 

The home’s 61-year-old resident escaped after he woke to crackling noises. 

“All I could hear was screaming and then explosions,” one neighbor said. 

The home did not have electricity and authorities believe a candle sparked the fire.