Aussies’ lucky escape from burning Bali villas

Australians have recalled how they made a lucky escape from Bali villas which burnt to the ground in a huge blaze on Thursday night.

About 19 buildings at Villa Amaysa in Seminyak were destroyed when a blaze tore through thatched roof buildings about 9.30pm.

Shirley Ventner told 9News she was sound asleep and completely unaware about what was happening around her, when her friends rushed back to the villa to save her.

“My friend said ‘my friend’s sleeping’,” she said.

“They were going to leave me there.

“I was sleeping, I didn’t even know it was happening.”

Melbourne woman Alana Capo said she was inside her villa when the flames engulfed the room next door, forcing her to jump off her roof to escape the flames.

“The exit to go out to the main street was in between the villas – so it was either run through the fire or find another way out,” she said.

“We were waving our phones, screaming help, help, help.

“These locals just came and basically, we jumped off the roof – four or five metres – and they caught us.”

Perth man Rod Blitvich said hotel workers tried to put out the flames as they quickly spread through the complex.

“We saw them hose out a fire on a thatched roof,” he said.

Another man from Western Australia, Bailey, told 6PR he was returning to his villa from dinner when the fire started.

“We could see flames in the distance and as we got closer and closer, we realised our villa was on fire,” he said.

“I lost everything apart from my passport and cash. A couple just lot passports and a couple have lost everything.”

A Kuta police spokesperson said there were no fatalities in the fire, which was still being investigated.

The spokesperson said 19 of 20 buildings at the hotel were destroyed in the blaze.