Troy and Sally Harper were forced to stand back and watch helplessly as a shed on their Legerwood property went up in flames, destroying almost $1 million in machinery.
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Mrs Harper awoke about 3am Sunday after hearing some noise outside and decided to look out her window.
It was at that point she realised their shed was on fire and she immediately woke her husband.
By the time emergency crews arrived, Mr Harper said the fire had spread quickly and he knew they had lost everything.
The walls of the shed remain standing but the contents were completely destroyed.
Two fertiliser trucks, four tractors, two motorbikes, five mountain bikes and ride on lawn mowers were among the property damaged in the blaze.
The equipment stored in the shed was mostly used for the family’s fertilising business which they have been operating for the past 11 years.
“It was just heart wrenching to see it all go up in flames … when it was all burning it just felt like someone was ripping [my] heart out,” Mr Harper said.
“When you’ve just been building [the business] up and getting in a financial position where you can finally see some rewards after putting hard work into it, then you lose it all … you feel like you've just got to start all over again.”
While the loss of machinery will directly impact the business, Mrs Harper said it was one tractor in particular she was devastated to lose.
“My father passed away in June … his tractor was in there, one he had restored,” she said.
“It’s just indescribable what you go through when something like that happens.
“It was sentimental things and things we worked hard for and tried to improve our business with and there’s just nothing you can do about it.”
The shed was located just a few metres from the family’s home and Mr Harper said he was grateful nobody was hurt.
“There’s people in worse situations than us, I mean it’s not very nice what we are going through … but I’m glad the shed burnt and not our house,” he said.
The couple said the support from the local community had already been incredible with people bringing them baked goods and offering to lend equipment.
“Sally and I are just so thankful, it’s actually a bit overwhelming,” Mr Harper said.
Tasmania Fire Service completed their investigations into the incident however details around the cause of the fire have not been released.
It is not being treated as suspicious.
Melissa Mobbs
A journalist with more than a decade of experience, Melissa Mobbs currently works as the Deputy Editor for The Examiner Newspaper in Launceston, and has a strong background in reporting on crime and the justice system. Send tips to Melissa.Mobbs@examiner.com.au or on Twitter via @melissamobbs.
A journalist with more than a decade of experience, Melissa Mobbs currently works as the Deputy Editor for The Examiner Newspaper in Launceston, and has a strong background in reporting on crime and the justice system. Send tips to Melissa.Mobbs@examiner.com.au or on Twitter via @melissamobbs.
