Hope after heartbreaking fire
A LOCAL fireman still in pyjamas leaps from his car, donning his firefighting gear as he and army of helpers race towards Pete and Sam Bryant’s burning garlic shed.
It is Christmas morning at Christmas Creek Garlic and the scene is anything but joyous as Pete, Sam and their 12-year-old son Jack watch years of hard work go up in smoke despite a phenomenal effort from first responders.
When the Beaudesert Bulletin catches up with the Bryant family in January, the destroyed shed stands in clear view not too far from their front verandah.
The smell inside the shed is an acrid mix – $45,000 worth of beautiful raw Russian elephant garlic rotting in a mangled mess of plastic and metal.
It has to stay that way until the insurance is sorted – a process Pete and Sam are in the thick of as they figure out what’s next.
Still in shock
The shock of the fire is still raw and the Bryants are grateful to everyone who helped them – the firefighters and police, Energex and electricians, neighbours and farmers, businesses and customers, family and friends.
There is still a sense of disbelief as they recount the ordeal.
“Pete and I were having a lovely Christmas morning, had poached eggs on toast, Pete went to let the chickens out and put the smoker on to smoke the garlic for the first sales of the year and we were waking Jack up to do presents and there was a loud ‘bang’,” Sam says.
“We raced over and there was black smoke pouring out of the shed and there were more explosions as it hit the gas bottles… we ended up with five fire trucks here.”
From the outpouring of community support after the fire, including a Go Fund Me campaign started by Pete’s friend Cameron Summerville, it is clear everyone is grateful Pete, Sam and Jack stayed safe.
Not just a shed
Sam and Pete built the shed 13 years ago before they even built their house or welcomed their son into the world.
It housed not only the business they have worked so hard to build but also many of the family’s belongings and sentimental items like the fishing rod from Pete’s dad.
Pete and Sam are stoic and focused on the future, already investing in 200kg of seed in early January which will eventually become one tonne of fresh garlic, all going to plan.
But first they face two years with no fresh garlic and the reality hits hard.
“You watch seven years of hard labour just go up in 10 minutes,” Pete says.
“And I’d chucked in my truck driving job because I was going casual to focus on the garlic and a new mowing business.”
Sam, who commutes to Brisbane for her job in education, is clearly proud of Pete’s commitment to his passion.
“It’s just something Pete really loves.”
At time of print the Go Fund me had raised $1180.
To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/relief-for-fire-at-christmas-creek-garlic
