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The fire travelled that fast in places and the lack of road networks in semi rural & rural areas meant that people were trapped.
A howling north wind meant that embers started fires well ahead of the actual fire front.This meant that roads were cut off trapping people in their homes.
ABC radio took calls from numerous people last night and early this morning from people trapped in homes with no route of escape.
Only a few km's from my house approx a dozen houses were lost in Narre Warren when a paddock fire took hold in minutes.
People had enough time to get out of the houses before they went up
Current offical death toll is 66
Don't be surprised if this at least doubles.
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