Joel Fitzgerald Loses House In Fire

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

On Saturday night, Joel Fitzgerald, son of 70s shaping maestro Terry Fitzgerald, lost his North Coast house and shaping bay in a fire.

Yesterday, Joel took to Instagram, describing the fire and how fast it spread.

Elder brother Kye has set up a Go Fund Me account to help Joel through the aftermath.

My house from 3 years has burnt to the ground. The home where I fathered my son Kainoa from 1 to 4. Where we played football down the hall, rode bikes and scooters inside the house. The north coast dream was very much real and I was grateful in every way to have this little blue house with a shaping bay and shed, timber floors and beautiful doors, green walls. A garden and view that reached the horizon from the hills of Byron.

It’s hard to say good bye, the emotions and feelings it brings are a little too hard. I would say it was time to move on, re-generation will take on, like a seed that needs the right temperature to germinate, waiting for the ground to break or fire to come.

I don’t think I would have ever left my house on the hill, but now it’s gone. The house will be demolished soon as it is condemned, thankfully it is a part of the Ballina development plan for new buildings and schools and roads and will be built into a beautiful place once again.

The main fire was in the shaping bay, the cause possibly an electrical box or light that had blown by a surge in the power. It’s unknown. In just a few minutes the fire turned into a major inferno, then the fire started to inflame the house, my garden hose was doing its best but little could be done until the fire department arrived. I went back in to save a burning board, a photo of my son, and as many things as I could grab in a final run through the burning house, but at some point I had to walk away as the fumes and smoke engulfed my beloved house.

The fire trucks arrived from Ballina, Lismore, and Lennox and we managed to save what was left in the destruction after only what seemed like a few minutes.

I was lucky in a way not to be killed by the fumes, fire, and exploding drums of resin acetone and surfboard material. I saved what I could in the minutes I had without getting in harms way. Kainoa was not there and is fine as he was with his mum at the time.

It’s a new chapter now, the end of an era and from the ashes the Phoenix will fly.

I would like to thank those who have supported me and Kainoa. We are doing great, one day, one breath at a time.

Joel

Comments

Kham's picture
Kham's picture
Kham Monday, 10 Oct 2022 at 9:00am

Sorry to hear mate of the devastating news. I am glad that everyone is safe.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Monday, 10 Oct 2022 at 9:48am

That sucks. Must be such a helpless feeling watching it happen knowing there is nothing you can do.
Hopefully he had insurance

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 10 Oct 2022 at 11:54am

Hope he had correct insurance cover -Home business - Proper storage of Flammables - Ins Companys dont like Acetone..
Unlikely to be any Cover.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Monday, 10 Oct 2022 at 10:25am

Bummer.

One small positive- nobody was hurt.

Robwilliams's picture
Robwilliams's picture
Robwilliams Monday, 10 Oct 2022 at 12:06pm

looks like a little house of heart and soul. Rise above Joel,

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Monday, 10 Oct 2022 at 12:54pm

Damn, I heard the fire trucks go screaming past.
such a bummer.

Best of luck with the rebuild Joel.

wetgecko's picture
wetgecko's picture
wetgecko Monday, 10 Oct 2022 at 8:52pm

Such an uplifting expression for all those experiencing loss or grief. Light to you Joel !

Tobiasl's picture
Tobiasl's picture
Tobiasl Tuesday, 11 Oct 2022 at 5:53pm

That would be really rough, glad you are all safe.
Best wishes with the next steps.

Optimist's picture
Optimist's picture
Optimist Wednesday, 12 Oct 2022 at 8:59am

Philippians 4:19 Joel…all the best.

Public Design's picture
Public Design's picture
Public Design Wednesday, 12 Oct 2022 at 9:30am

Hopefully not an insurance job here , opportunistic to ask good people to GO FUND the rebuild

They should be fine, still young and capable to rebuild like everyone else

StormyAndBo's picture
StormyAndBo's picture
StormyAndBo Wednesday, 12 Oct 2022 at 1:54pm

Extremely uncool comment mate. Joel is the kindest and most honest bloke, surfer and shaper you could ever meet. He has asked for nothing, and although his brother has set up a gofundme for him its scope is small and humble. To leap straight to that kind of assumption says far worse about you than him. Still, you can turn this around... throw the guy some bones perhaps

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 12 Oct 2022 at 9:49am

Crowdfund looking for $25 K - That might cover Demo / Dump Fees

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 8:40am

Last comment deleted, as will others in the same vein.

Public Design's picture
Public Design's picture
Public Design Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 12:33pm

That block would be worth a fortune , maybe sell and rebuild ?

Public Design's picture
Public Design's picture
Public Design Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 12:45pm

Stunet,

Limiting any kind of speech other that means that all speech can be limited. Simply because you dont agree with it or it inadvertently offends you in some way? Ideas, and viewpoints cannot be limited simply because you disagree and feel triggered. That is fascism at its purest and most deadly form.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 12:47pm

OK, Alex Jones.

Robwilliams's picture
Robwilliams's picture
Robwilliams Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 1:27pm

Fuck you. Public design. Hope you get owned or some one takes a eastwing claw hammer to your car. Theres a time and a place for free speech and your vile rhetoric of projection is just that. Unnecessary considering the light of the circumstances. FUCK OFF, your nothing but scum. Human trash at it's finest. And surprise, comfortably anonymous. Weak is a understatement. Positivity is lost on cunts like you.

Roadkill's picture
Roadkill's picture
Roadkill Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 2:08pm

So you are hoping some sort of violent act of aggression falls upon Public Design?

SN again allows violence calls….meanwhile in the other thread where a surfer dies from violence the SN forum posts aghast at such violence.
Just another day in SN.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 3:28pm

Little bit of overkill, Rob?

Roadkill's picture
Roadkill's picture
Roadkill Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 2:25pm

It is sad someone lost a home and business premises to a fire. Insurance really should be a standard outgoing for any business.

Robwilliams's picture
Robwilliams's picture
Robwilliams Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 5:20pm

product of my environment. Pure frustration or maybe its from hitting my head on the reef, 1st wave, on the the day of the year , or getting pack stomped on a quiet walk home too many times.Sometimes you can't run fast enough, Fuck him. . I was raised to hate cunts. Road kill you are nothing more than an enabler in my opinion in regards to your comment. My mother would have put him in a blender ;)

Walk away they said. So I did, until they jumped me at the corner all 5 of em'. Beat me blue and took my cash but not my shoes. It's all peace and love until someone turns it to shit. They always do mug those out on their own, less in numbers or out in the cold, just as in the case here. I called it out in the only way I know how, The ugly truth of my comment's should be ignored, but hope the point shines through.

Anger and rage at the lack of compassion can be brutal sometimes in the animal kingdom, that does not make me right, it's just how it is for many who have walked or grew up on the other side, from all walks of life. We learnt to deal with cunts anyway we could. God wasn't protecting us so we protected ourselves because we had to. Peace to all. And once again best wishes to joel. I still use my mums blender too. ;) And where's father bob. For I have sinned.



And to my christian friends, I still love you although I am some what different or ugly at times.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 5:02pm

Where else are Joels boards made ?

rich74's picture
rich74's picture
rich74 Thursday, 13 Oct 2022 at 5:43pm

where else are the boards made? ...i got one of joel's boards shaped in sydney this year (and delivered to the Tweed coast) and dealt with his bro Kye on the phone..great board and got me in to a few good ones at outside corner, uluwatu not long ago

Public Design's picture
Public Design's picture
Public Design Friday, 14 Oct 2022 at 8:42am

If you are going to ask strangers for their hard earned money ,will they be provided with sufficient evidence of any investigations or pending insurance claims from this incident ? Will there be any receipts provided for materials etc... ?

The audience deserve more detail other than "feeling" morally obligated before having their good surfing shoulders financially twisted

Yes its unfortunate hope they build back

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 14 Oct 2022 at 8:43am

There's always someone...

If you don't like it, don't donate.

That's it. End of story.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 14 Oct 2022 at 7:57pm

@Public Design.

From our Code of Conduct:

1) Don't create social chaos. If we ask you to cut out some shit you're doing, do as we say.

3) No personal attacks against other users. Make your point without making things personal or insulting other people, even people who don't visit this website.

You've had three posts deleted now. This is the final warning, so if you do it again you're banned. As you're a subscriber we'll cancel you're account but refund the amount owing.

NevFutureShaper's picture
NevFutureShaper's picture
NevFutureShaper Saturday, 15 Oct 2022 at 8:45am

Joel...So sad to hear about this mate... You will be back betta than eva!

Bindog's picture
Bindog's picture
Bindog Tuesday, 18 Oct 2022 at 7:57am

Rarely say anything here and just reading the above narrative and the hypocrisy from the editor is ridiculous. Threatening to remove an account for asking a few relative questions when another spews his vile guts out with violent threads and thats ok.Seriously mister editor check yourself here!

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 18 Oct 2022 at 8:06am

The offending comments have been deleted, mate. They can't be read so not sure how you're forming a judgement about them.

MrBungle's picture
MrBungle's picture
MrBungle Tuesday, 18 Oct 2022 at 9:20am

Far out there are some toxic people around, even on a surf forecasting comment section. Not sure if people just enjoy being the contrarian, or they are just emotionally damaged people who lack empathy. Probably a bit of both.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Tuesday, 18 Oct 2022 at 10:04am

Crowd Fund lowered to $12500 - Amount now reached ..

fuhrious's picture
fuhrious's picture
fuhrious Tuesday, 18 Oct 2022 at 10:42am

It would be interesting to know how many of the critics or conspiracy types have actually met Joel or his brother Kye. I have had a long business relationship with Kye when he had the surf shop on the Northern beaches running. Kye is such an ethical and decent person that would not be involved with any dishonest practice particularly fund raising. Some of the comments here are extremely questionable and the writers are probably reflecting sad personal lives. Time for a little reflection of yourselves people.