A retired Gore man whose uninsured car was destroyed in a suspected arson is "overwhelmed" after the community helped get him a replacement vehicle and the district council waived a $3500 bill for road repairs.
Emergency services were called to Frank St at around 1am on January 19, after a black 2018 Holden Captiva was found well alight.
Police attended and conducted a scene examination. Detective Sergeant Brian McKinney said officers were following several lines of enquiry and urged anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from Joseph, Frank or Thomas streets around the time of the fire to come forward.
In the days that followed, the man was told he could be liable for thousands in road repair costs.
The cost was being sheeted to him because, when no offender was identified, the liability for road repair damage generally fell to the vehicle owner. Repair costs were normally recovered either from the at-fault party or through insurance.
The $3500 figure was the council's estimate of the damage.
Gore District councillor Donna Bruce visited the man and made a Facebook appeal for community help, saying he lived alone, had health issues and couldn't afford insurance on his pension.
"I just felt sorry for him, to be honest. I'm a single income homeowner myself and I know what it's like to struggle," she told 1News.
After her post, a local panelbeater offered to remove the burnt out car, free of charge. Mayor Ben Bell rang to confirm the council would waive the road repair costs, and an anonymous donor pledged to find the man a replacement vehicle.
Bruce said the response reflected the character of the community.
"It's a great little community. I've had messages offering trailers, money — all sorts of things. I haven't even had a chance to look at them all yet," she said.
"I'll need to update the post to say we're all sorted."
She said the man had promised to take out third party insurance on the donated car once he was back on the road.
Bruce praised the council and the wider public for rallying around him.
"I'm really glad the council's been compassionate in a situation like this, and I'm grateful to everyone who's reached out to help," she said.
Police inquiries into the suspected arson were ongoing.
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