A Mayfield character known for riding her yellow scooter with 'Old Fart' number plates has escaped the ferocious inferno that shut down her suburb this week with nothing but the clothes on her back.
Leonie Hemming lost her home of 17 years when the Hunter Valley Whitegoods warehouse on Denison Street became engulfed in flames about 3.30pm on Monday, May 18.
The major emergency operation - involving dozens of firefighters and specialist resources, paramedics, police and traffic operators - closed down Maitland Road and surrounding streets and saw about 30 homes evacuated from an exclusion zone.
Ms Hemming had lived upstairs in the building for almost 17 years. A neighbour called her to alert her it was on fire and she had to get out.
She escaped safely with the clothes she was wearing, her phone and her handbag, but was forced to leave behind her scooter and the urn containing the ashes of her beloved dog George.
Owner of Farrar and Sons Bakehouse in Mayfield, Sally Farrar, has known Ms Hemming for three-and-a-half years. She said it was a huge relief to find out she was OK.
"Everybody is familiar with Leonie. She gets around on her yellow scooter with the 'Old Fart' number plates," Ms Farrar told the Newcastle Herald.
"She's a very funny character ... she's very adored by everybody."
Ms Farrar was flooded with messages of support and offers to help as word spread that Ms Hemming's home had been destroyed.
She has set up a donation tin at the bakery for people to donate cash or vouchers and was looking at starting a GoFundMe page.
She said she would also accept warm clothing like jeans, jumpers and T-shirts, in sizes 12 to 14, to help Ms Hemming get through the next few weeks.
Ms Hemming was coming to terms with what had happened on Tuesday, but wanted to say she was grateful for everyone showing support and that she was going all right in the circumstances.
Ms Farrar thanked the emergency service workers involved in the prolonged firefighting operation. She was delivering a large box of pies to them about lunchtime.
"It could have been a lot worse. A lot more people could have lost their homes. Unfortunately, only one has, but she survived, and that's the main thing," she said.
Scott Peters, the owner of Bespoke Gentlemen Grooming and Wellness in Mayfield, offered free coffee to any front-line worker who had been involved on Monday or Tuesday whenever they were ready to collect it.
He said the tight-knit business community had stopped to check in on each other as black smoke rose in an ominous plume. The flames were tall enough that he could see them from more than 750 metres away.
"You could tell it was really bad, really quick," he said.
"I just respect the fact that [emergency services] were there and acted so quickly and just handled it so well."
The Hunter Valley Whitegoods building was destroyed, 12 years after the previous location of the business went up in flames.
The owner was contacted for comment.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews continued to monitor the site on Tuesday.
NSW Environment Protection Agency (EPA) officers were at the scene. A spokesperson said "small amounts of bonded asbestos" had been observed on some nearby properties and roads.
"Rainfall has minimised asbestos debris risks, and booms have been installed around the site to prevent stormwater run-off," they said.
"We are currently assessing the situation and working with other agencies and the site owners to establish clean-up actions."
Residents who locate any item of concern on their properties have been told not to touch it, and instead to call the NSW EPA on 131 555.
Evacuation orders were revised so that only four homes on Denison Street remained affected on Tuesday. NSW EPA officers and the NSW Department of Communities and Justice were liaising with the occupants.
Denison Street remained closed from Waratah Street to Maitland Road.
The community was urged to steer clear of the area and local residents were encouraged to close doors and windows to limit continuing smoke exposure.
NSW Police confirmed the fire was under investigation but initial inquiries suggested it was not suspicious.
