Australians living in Seminyak villas destroyed by massive fires recall how they managed to survive.
A large fire broke out in a number of villas in Bali late on Thursday, July 25, with some Australian tourists saying they had lost their belongings. The Bali Post reported that the fire in Seminyak had spread to around 19 buildings. A number of Australian tourists said they were left without passports, while others said they had only enough time to get essentials and travel documents. Copyright: @arie_blv via Storyful
About 19 buildings were destroyed in Villa Amaisa in Seminyak when a fire broke out in the thatched-roof buildings at around 9.30pm.
Shirley Vintner told 9 News she was asleep and had no idea what was happening around her when her friends rushed to the villa to rescue her.
Shirley Vintner was fast asleep when the building around her caught fire. Photo: TikTok
Fire gutted 19 of 20 thatched villas in Seminyak on Thursday evening. Photo: TikTok
She said, “My friend said my friend is sleeping.”
They were going to leave me there.
“I was asleep, and I didn’t even know this was happening.”
A massive fire broke out in several homes and shops in Seminyak, Bali, on the evening of Thursday, July 25, 2024. Photo: TikTok
Melbourne woman Alana Campo recalls how she survived a fire at her villa in Bali on Thursday. Photo: 9 NEWS
Melbourne woman Alana Kabo said she was inside her villa when the flames swept through the next room, forcing her to jump from her roof to escape the flames.
“The exit to the main street was between the villas, so we had to either escape through the fire or find another exit,” she said.
“We were waving our phones and screaming for help, help, help.
“These locals came suddenly and we jumped off the roof – four or five metres high – and they caught us.”
Perth resident Rod Plitvic said hotel workers were trying to put out the fire, which quickly spread through the complex.
“We saw them putting out fires on a thatched roof,” he said.
A fire broke out at a hotel complex in Seminyak, Bali, on Thursday evening. Photo: Jarrod McNeill/Facebook
Another man from Western Australia, named Billy, told 6PR he was returning to his villa from dinner when the fire broke out.
“We saw the fire in the distance, and as we got closer and closer, we realized that our villa was burning,” he said.
“I lost everything except my passport and my money. One couple lost their passports and one couple lost everything.”
A Kuta police spokesman said there were no fatalities in the fire, which is still being investigated.
The spokesman said that 19 out of 20 buildings in the hotel were destroyed by the fire.
