Christmas incidents claim lives, homes

THE Christmas period has not passed without incident, with a man dying at a car crash at Birregurra, a woman dying in a fire in Armstrong Creek and another fire destroying a house in Torquay (pictured left). Emergency services were called to the intersection of Birregurra-Forrest Road and Colac-Lorne Road shortly before 11am on Boxing Day for the two-car collision.

The male driver of one vehicle died at the scene, while a female passenger in the other vehicle was flown to hospital. In Armstrong Creek, the fire at a house in Carter Road broke out at about 3.45am on Boxing Day. Four people managed to escape, but a 26-year-old woman died at the scene. In Torquay, police are investigating a fire that burnt out a house and car on Gilbert Street on Christmas morning.