Port Macquarie Lifeline to rebuild after devastating fire

Charity bins butted against Port Macquarie’s Central Road Lifeline store were set alight on Monday morning.

The blaze, which spread through a heat-cracked window to the main building, is going to cost the charity at least $100,000 in lost stock and trade and it’s ripple effect will be felt by some of society’s most vulnerable.

But out of the ashes, devastated volunteers are banding together to slowly rebuild what has become a cornerstone of the community.

“This is heartbreaking for us,” said Lifeline Mid Coast chief executive Catherine Vaara. “Every piece of clothing, every item which could have been sold to go towards our support services, now has to be dumped.”

“It’s going to be a huge job to get back on track, and we are absolutely going to need the community to get behind us.”

Melted signage and incinerated clothes, electrical goods and books remain in the aftermath of the deliberate fire. 

While a blanket of black ash and soot has served as a proverbial death sentence for at least $50,000 worth of remaining stock.

It will be a matter of weeks before the store is in a suitable state for trade. 

In the meantime, store manager Troy Terp is hoping the community will start keeping their eyes peeled for good quality goods to donate.

Once the store is retro-fitted and re-opened, he said, Lifeline would initiate collection drives and send a clear plea for help. 

“Our volunteers are just devastated,” he said. “They belong to this shop and it belongs to them.

“We will be doing all we can to get it back up and running.”

Tears have fallen at the store’s charred entrance a number of times in the past few days. 

But the outcome could have been far more catastrophic, if not for a passing postal worker who called triple-0 soon after the fire was lit. 

“We’re very lucky,” said Port Macquarie Fire Brigade Station Officer Derek Alford. “Ten minutes later and the place would have been nothing but a car park.”

Mr Alford and his team arrived minutes after the man called emergency services at 12.47am. 

Port Macquarie Police said an investigation was underway to identify those responsible. 

A man was reportedly seen running from the scene. 

Phone the number at the bottom of the story if you have any more information.

Every month Lifeline answers more than 12,000 calls for help and 85 per cent of its profits go towards suicide prevention and crisis support. 

Port Macquarie-based telephone crisis supporter Phoebe Crane is an example of the work the organisation does in creating a suicide safer community. 

In 12 months, she’s talked 53 people back from the verge of suicide. 

Lifeline’s programs and initiatives rely solely on the important income generated by its charity stores, like the Central Road shop. 

This support has been seriously jeopardised in the aftermath of Sunday’s blaze. 

But Lifeline is asking the community to help them get back on track.

“As soon as the shop is refitted and repaired, we will be asking the community to support us by helping out with good quality donations,” said Lifeline’s Lisa Willows.

The Port News will notify the community once the store is up and running again and able to take donations.