Dog saves man from fire

GEOFF Sanderson has lost everything - including the dog that saved his life.

On Wednesday night Geoff's house went up in flames after a suspicious fire.

"I was in bed sleeping because I had to work the night shift over at the club," said Geoff, who works at the RSL.

"I had only been asleep for about half an hour and the dog was barking madly and woke me up.

"That's when I found out the house was on fire."

Now Geoff is searching through the skeleton of his house in the hope of finding the six-month-old shih tzu that saved his life.

But Geoff fears it may have perished in the fire.

The next task for Geoff is to find some form of identification.

"We are just looking for something that might help me with a form of identification, which is the biggest trouble when everything burns.

"My wallet and everything is gone and mobile phone, so all the numbers.

Geoff was living in his uninsured house with five other people.

"It's just a shame because I have just spent the last two years renovating it all and doing it all up.

"That's the heartbreaking part.

"I just got it to the stage where it was nice and comfortable ready to sit back for a few months and enjoy the benefits of the work.

"But it's not meant to be."

The 51-year-old is now looking at putting his life back together.

"It's just one of those unfortunate things that happen in life," Geoff said.

So what's next for Geoff?

"Start life all over again, I'd say.

"That's all you can basically do.

"Just put the smile on your face and go again."

Geoff said he was blown away by the support he had received from the community.

"They have given me clothes to wear because all I was wearing was my boxers, and they have been giving me moral support."

Geoff, who has been living with a friend, said now he just needed some time to get his life back on track.

"Hopefully it will all only take a couple of weeks and I can get back to work and find a new house."

Police are investigating the fire.