That's it from me. Thanks for hanging out this morning and hopefully I'll be back at the helm sometime soon.
Deb Gough will be back at 6am Monday with all your headlines, weather, photos, and transport news.
Enjoy your weekend and don't forget to settle in with a blanket, some popcorn and a hot chocolate for Gilmore Girls tonight. It hits Australian Netflix screens at 7pm AEST.
A summary of our top stories this morning:
- A newly-built home in Port Melbourne was destroyed by a suspicious fire, early this morning. Two neighbouring properties were also affected.
- Police want to speak to the heroic tradies, who saved several people from the fire in Springvale last Friday.
- Firefighters are currently trying to bring under control a blaze at a Tarneit home.
- Two men who stole an entire cigarette dispensing machine from Airport West are being hunted by police.
Remember the heroic fluro-vested tradies who ran into a burning Springvale bank last Friday?
Police want to speak to them, and they've released some amazing CCTV footage of the men running into the smoke-ridden building.
CCTV: Hero tradies rescue people from burning bank
Watch as two men navigate through smoke to help customers and staff escape from a burning bank in Springvale.
One lane of the Princes Freeway - inbound - has been closed after a crash.
VicRoads is on site and the collision was near West Gate Freeway, blocking right lane inbound.
Traffic is slow on approach.
Police say a cyclist died in hospital last month after he fell off his bike in Rowville.
A 56-year-old man was cycling north on Taylors Lane when he fell from his bicycle, on October 13, about 5pm.
The cyclist did not collide with any cars or pedestrians. Paramedics attended and took the man to hospital in a critical condition.
He died in hospital on October 17.
Back to top
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the last November 25 with a maximum below 20 degrees was more than 20 years ago!
It's currently sitting at a cool 14.2 degrees, with some showers still predicted in Melbourne this morning.
Top of 17° forecast in #Melbourne- the last 25th November with a maximum below 20° was in 1995! Average is 23°. https://t.co/SNEhci3iKT pic.twitter.com/WaVl4vYInK
— BOM Victoria (@BOM_Vic) November 24, 2016
Smoke plumes are flowing out of the roof of a property on Tarneit Road in Tarneit this morning.
Firefighters, ambulance and police are at the scene. Tarneit Road is closed in both directions and traffic diversions are in place.
House fire on Tarneit road, in Tarneit. Traffic diversions in place @mmmhotbreakfast pic.twitter.com/pbxJB74BsA
— Tim (@robdob6) November 24, 2016
More from the house fire in Port Melbourne, where reporter Henrietta Cook is speaking to people at the scene.
The fire has been deemed suspicious. It started at a new house on the street, which has been built over the past 18 months, and is part of a larger development that runs through to Station Street.
There were concerns that the fire would spread to even more homes, and police knocked on neighbours' doors early this morning to ask them to evacuate.
Sharron, who lives on Princes Street, watched on helplessly as fire from a neighbour's house spread to her home early this morning.
"Fortunately we are all safe, that's the important thing," Sharron said. "But our house has been destroyed." Sharron runs a holistic daycare centre from her home, and has had to cancel all bookings.
Fire has destroyed a house in Port Melbourne and damaged others next to it. Photo: Eddie Jim
Firefighters are at another house fire, this time in Tarneit.
The blaze was called in at about 8.15am and when crews arrived the structure was well alight, a CFA spokeswoman said.
She said the structure was a single storey brick building, which is on Tarneit Road.
Ambulance and police are also at the scene.
Switzerland will hold onto its crown as the World's Most Positive Country, at a ceremony in Melbourne this afternoon.
Australia moved up one spot in the list into the fourth position in 2016 compared with last year, after a great year for Australian medical research.
Italy made it to the overall list of positive countries for the first time ever, and Canada made it back to the list after two years of absence.
More details about the awards can be found here. It will be held at University of Melbourne from 5.30pm.
Back to topOur reporter Henrietta Cook has spoken to Sharron and Paul O'Keefe, whose home was damaged in the Port Melbourne fire early this morning.
Sharron and Paul woke at 2.30am to a loud crackling sound, and noticed that their bedroom was abnormally light. They realised the house next door was on fire and rushed upstairs to pull their five-year-old daughter Hope out of bed.
They ran out of their house and onto the street, joining neighbours who watched on as large flames engulfed the low-set house.
"You go to sleep at night and don't dream you will wake up to a fire," Sharron said.
The side of their house has been burned, the metal roof is twisted, and there's significant water and smoke damage. Paul had painstakingly renovated the weatherboard house just two years earlier.
A firefighter at the scene in Port Melbourne on Friday morning. Photo: Eddie Jim
Fire has destroyed a house in Port Melbourne and damaged others next to it. Photo: Eddie Jim
Hoping the weather will warm up by December 1? Sorry ...
The Bureau of Meteorlogy's forecast for the first day of summer is here, and it's not great.
It is predicting possible showers with a maximum of just 19 degrees. It'll be cloudy and a little bit windy, too.
There will be a few changes to trams in Melbourne CBD this weekend, due to work:
Reminder: service changes apply on Swanston St & Collins St trams from Sat 26 to Mon 28 Nov due to work. Info: https://t.co/zztBXb7K14 pic.twitter.com/nOVINHY2C4
— Yarra Trams (@yarratrams) November 24, 2016
Here's the CCTV footage of two men stealing a heavy cigarette machine from a West Melbourne diner on September 22.
If you know something, say something. Call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
CCTV: Pair steal cigarette machine
Two men are captured on CCTV footage stealing a heavy cigarette machine from a West Melbourne diner on September 22.
Melbourne, it's a dog eat dog world out there ...
hello sir i'd like to report a serious felony... yes he made the motion like he threw the ball but it was still in his hand pic.twitter.com/7odJuOTcnh
— hi Lucy its Joe here (@LucyXIV) November 20, 2016
Motorists planning to travel on Doncaster Road beware - due to emergency works one lane is closed outbound.
VicRoads says a left lane has been closed outbound near Wetherby Road for gas works, and the speed limit reduced to 40km/h.
Works are expected to be completed by 1pm.
Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing 13-year-old West Wodonga girl Shanise Hibberson.
Shanise was last seen at her home address on Emerald Avenue on Friday 4 November.
Police and Shanise's family have concerns for her welfare due to her young age and she has a medical condition.
Call Wodonga Police Station (02) 6049 2600 if you see Shanise.
Missing 13-year-old West Wodonga girl Shanise Hibberson. Photo: Supplied
All lanes have been reopened on Leakes Road at Rockbank after a crash on the Western Freeway.
The crash has been cleared.
Your travel times this morning
Travel times for CityLink Tulla Widening works at 7:50am #victraffic #CTWidening @CityLinkMelb pic.twitter.com/tvHVchHNA8
— VicTraffic (@VicTraffic) November 24, 2016
Delays to tram 8
Customers on diverting trams for Toorak Rd consider R78 trams on Chapel St or trains from Toorak Station or bus 605 along Orrong Rd. (2/2)
— Yarra Trams (@yarratrams) November 24, 2016
Update Route 8: Some trams towards Moreland are diverting via Glenferrie Rd & Malvern Rd due to a tram fault. (1/2)
— Yarra Trams (@yarratrams) November 24, 2016
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