A man who narrowly survived a devastating fire that destroyed his home was told he could not get money from his own bank account in the days before Christmas.
Mark Norton, 65, lost his pets and most of his belongings – including his bank card – when he fled his burning home just seconds before it went up in flames in Thursday’s Parkerville inferno on Perth’s eastern suburbs.
Mr Norton has since been forced to live in a caravan, but when he tried to withdraw money from his local Midland ANZ branch on Friday afternoon, his request was rejected.
Staff told him the branch had closed early for Christmas and would not reopen until January 1.
Mark Norton, 65, lost his pets and most of his belongings when he fled his home just seconds before it was destroyed in Thursday’s Parkerville inferno.
“They said, ‘We’ve balanced the till, we can’t help you,’” Mr Norton told NIne News.
‘And I said ‘really, these are not normal circumstances, my house has burned down, I have nothing’… (they said) sorry can’t help you.’
‘It was like a kick in the teeth.
“It was like I didn’t hang out with people because a person would feel sorry – my house burned down.”
However, ANZ eventually attempted to rectify the situation and issued a groveling apology.
“We apologize to Mr. Norton and have contacted him directly to ensure we can provide him with access to funds as soon as possible,” the bank said.
However, Mr Norton, still seething from the ordeal, said the gesture is too little too late and he plans to change banks.
“That was criminal, it was really criminal what they did,” he said.
“You shouldn’t treat people like that.”
ANZ staff refused to give Mr Norton his money because their branch had closed early for Christmas
Mr. Norton escaped the fire that destroyed his Parkerville home with just seconds to spare, but lost his pets and most of his belongings
Mr Norton’s home, which was insured, was one of two destroyed on Thursday.
On Saturday, more than 100 WA firefighters and volunteers managed to protect other properties from a dozen bushfires raging around Perth.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued an ‘extreme fire danger’ warning for Burrup, on the state’s north coast.
Most of Western Australia will be under ‘high’ fire danger over the weekend and over Christmas.
ANZ has been contacted for comment.
