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| UK woman speaks of bushfire loss | UK woman speaks of bushfire loss |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A British woman has spoken of the moment she discovered her sister had been killed in Australia's bushfires. | |
| UK police told Helen Finch, from Leicester, to contact an Australian helpline from which she learned her sister, Elizabeth Lies-Field, had died. | |
| Mrs Lies-Field's sons James, 14, and Matthew, 13, also perished when a fireball hit their home in Victoria. | |
| "I thought it was a hoax, it is something I can't even take in," said Mrs Finch. | "I thought it was a hoax, it is something I can't even take in," said Mrs Finch. |
| Rod Lies-Field, Elizabeth's husband, survived the explosion having gone to his car outside the family home. | Rod Lies-Field, Elizabeth's husband, survived the explosion having gone to his car outside the family home. |
| Urgent message | Urgent message |
| Mr Lies-Field was blown on his back and suffered burns from the fireball's impact. | Mr Lies-Field was blown on his back and suffered burns from the fireball's impact. |
| Having been told to contact the helpline, Mrs Finch had her call transferred a number of times until it was answered by Mr Lies-Field, lying in an Australian hospital bed. | Having been told to contact the helpline, Mrs Finch had her call transferred a number of times until it was answered by Mr Lies-Field, lying in an Australian hospital bed. |
| "We got this urgent message to ring a number in Australia," Mrs Field told the BBC. | "We got this urgent message to ring a number in Australia," Mrs Field told the BBC. |
| "I thought it was some kids playing around, but we rang the number and were put through to the hospital. | "I thought it was some kids playing around, but we rang the number and were put through to the hospital. |
| Mrs Finch says she wants to help her brother-in-law rebuild his life | Mrs Finch says she wants to help her brother-in-law rebuild his life |
| "The first thing Rod says to me is, 'Elizabeth, James and Matthew are gone.' I said, 'What do you mean, gone?' He said, 'Gone in the fire.' | "The first thing Rod says to me is, 'Elizabeth, James and Matthew are gone.' I said, 'What do you mean, gone?' He said, 'Gone in the fire.' |
| "It's my sister, but he's lost his wife, his children, his house - you can't imagine what they're going through. | "It's my sister, but he's lost his wife, his children, his house - you can't imagine what they're going through. |
| "What must he be feeling just to lie there? Why did he get saved and the others allowed to go?" | "What must he be feeling just to lie there? Why did he get saved and the others allowed to go?" |
| Mrs Finch said she had not seen reports of the fires in Australia, and her first fear had been a car crash involving relatives. | Mrs Finch said she had not seen reports of the fires in Australia, and her first fear had been a car crash involving relatives. |
| However, Marysville, a small town to the north-east of Melbourne, had been at the centre of devastating wildfires, with all but one building gutted in the heat. | However, Marysville, a small town to the north-east of Melbourne, had been at the centre of devastating wildfires, with all but one building gutted in the heat. |
| Beautiful forests | Beautiful forests |
| At least 173 people died and hundreds more were injured by the fires as they swept across Victoria state, while in many areas uncontrolled fires continue to burn. | At least 173 people died and hundreds more were injured by the fires as they swept across Victoria state, while in many areas uncontrolled fires continue to burn. |
| Rescuers continue to search for victims as police begin the hunt for arsonists believed to be responsible for some of the fires. | Rescuers continue to search for victims as police begin the hunt for arsonists believed to be responsible for some of the fires. |
| Marysville itself has been sealed off by detectives as a possible crime scene. | Marysville itself has been sealed off by detectives as a possible crime scene. |
| Elizabeth Lies-Field emigrated to Australia 20 years ago to live with husband Rod, a trucker. | Elizabeth Lies-Field emigrated to Australia 20 years ago to live with husband Rod, a trucker. |
| Her family from Britain, including her sister, had been to visit, but the Lies-Fields had moved into their new home in Marysville just weeks before the fires began. | Her family from Britain, including her sister, had been to visit, but the Lies-Fields had moved into their new home in Marysville just weeks before the fires began. |
| They had established a guest house in the town, but had sent guests away from the area as the threat from wildfires grew. | They had established a guest house in the town, but had sent guests away from the area as the threat from wildfires grew. |
| Almost every home in Marysville has been gutted by fire"I visited about three years ago now, you walk around and it's beautiful forests," said Mrs Finch. | Almost every home in Marysville has been gutted by fire"I visited about three years ago now, you walk around and it's beautiful forests," said Mrs Finch. |
| "It was a small rural community, but you look on the TV now and there's nothing left. | "It was a small rural community, but you look on the TV now and there's nothing left. |
| "It's thousands of miles away, but it's my family. When you get that news, you can't think straight. All I wanted to know was, did she suffer when she died? | "It's thousands of miles away, but it's my family. When you get that news, you can't think straight. All I wanted to know was, did she suffer when she died? |
| "Rod said there was an explosion, and I was thinking of the relief, at least she's gone straight away. | "Rod said there was an explosion, and I was thinking of the relief, at least she's gone straight away. |
| "We've got to move on with our lives and help Rod rebuild his." | "We've got to move on with our lives and help Rod rebuild his." |