The story so far
- Steph being sentenced to six years imprisonment with a two year non- parole period.
- Zeke angry for Libby lying during Steph's court case.
- Libby announcing she needs to go away for a while.
- Sonya reassuring Toadie he did everything he could for Steph.
- Paul telling Lyn to drop the idea of appealing Steph's sentence.
- Lucas bemoaning the fact Steph told him to move on.
- Lou moaning about the criminal system in Australia.
- Toadie pointing out to Lyn that Steph's sentence could be increased if she goes through with an appeal.
- Lyn hiring Tim Collins at a cost... $10,000 required up front.
- Lyn coming up with an alternative way to get the money... insurance fraud courtesy of dodgy Christmas tree lights then changing her mind.
- Summer putting the dodgy lights on the Christmas tree (Lyn kicked them under the sofa when she changed her mind).
- Tash wanting to know if Andrew is into Summer.
- The key to Summer's window sliding off the surface before she TITTNL with Andrew.
- The dodgy Christmas tree lights shorting causing a fire to break out.
- Tash concerned that she can't rouse Summer after discovering #26 on fire.
- Tash heading into #26 despite the flames.
- Lucas failing to hold Michael back after he finds out Tash has entered the burning house.
- The windows of #26 exploding and Lyn being very concerned about her granddaughter.
And as the titles finally begin, there is no change to them.
Fire station
At last, an engine is on its way!
Ramsay Street
Susan runs to help Lyn who is beginning to choke on the smoke coming from the house. Lucas reports back that there is no sign of Summer, Tash or Michael and that the back of the house is full of smoke. He adds though that he did turn the gas off before helping Karl to shift the cars as they wait for the elusive fire engine(s) to arrive.
Susan meanwhile does her best impression of a bouncer, trying to hold Lyn back from entering the burning house before reassuring her that Sum will be alright.
Number 26
Summer and Andrew come to after their afternoon exercise, coughing because of the amount of smoke in her room. He is the first to notice the flames and tells Sum to get dressed (like he is doing). Sum tells him to get back inside, when he opens the door to see if there is an escape route (there isn't) and closes it before again telling her to get dressed.
Meanwhile in the livingroom, Tash collapses to the floor but help is on hand - she can hear her dad calling out her name.
Back in Summer's room, she tells Andrew that her phone is in the lounge before she goes hunting for the key to her windows that fell on the floor when she threw it a bit too hard as she tossed it onto a surface. Andrew gets out his phone and calls for the fire brigade.
Ramsay Street
Paul leaves a voicemail message on Andrew's phone telling him to get home because there is a fire at the Scully house. He joins the other RSR's as Karl finishes a call to see how long the fire brigade will be and gets an update. Karl isn't impressed he's more concerned about the other houses than the one on fire! His attitude changes immediately though when Andrew phones him from inside #26 and has to be held back by Lucas and Karl from going into the house.
Street somewhere
A fire engine and an ambulance make their way towards Ramsay Street.
Number 26
Andrew has to keep pulling Summer down low when she tries to get out because she can't breath.
In the living room, Michael is relieved to find Tash.
Back in Summer's bedroom, Andrew uses his initiative and smashes the windows in her room with a chair.
Michael gathers his daughter in his arms and tries to get out of the house.
Ramsay Street
Finally the emergency services arrive in Ramsay Street although the firemen seem to be moving as quickly as the ambo's normally do!!!
"Thank god," Lyn cries and Paul rushes to tell them about Andrew being trapped and thinks that there are only 3 more in the house.
Lou arrives and tells Lyn about closing the store up. She dissolves into tears as she tells him about Summer being trapped in the house. Susan consoles her as Karl spots that his favourite paramedic (Christian) has arrived and quickly briefs him.
Number 26
Michael (carrying the now unconscious Tash) enters Summer's room and puts her down on the ground.
Andrew spots that help is at hand as the firemen arrive and prise open Summer's windows before he then assists Michael in getting Tash out.
Ramsay Street
The tension is getting to everyone as they wait for news of what is happening. Finally they spot someone being carried down the stairs and Karl relays news that it's Tash and she's been burned as the firemen place her onto Christian's stretcher. Karl gives her a quick once- over before escorting her into the ambulance. As they do, Tash is asking for her dad and Karl reassures her he is being brought out before administering some pain relief to her.
Number 26
The guys help Summer out of the house to the waiting firemen - she is most concerned that Andrew follows her out. An ominous creaking sound is heard and the firemen urge them to leave but Andrew is overcome by the smoke and collapses coughing to the floor.
Ramsay Street
Lyn is very relieved to see Summer come down the stairs but she wants to go back because Andrew is inside. As she is being escorted away to be checked over, Ramsay Street is rocked by an explosion occurring inside #26. Smoke and dust billow from the house and all the fireman rush towards the house. Paul is frantic with worry.
Number 26
The explosion was the roof giving way and it's come down right on top of Summer's bedroom, trapping Michael and Andrew. Michael shouts "Andrew" at him and encourages him to move but he's more concerned about Summer and Tash. "They got out," Michael tells him then resumes calling out "Andrew" again when it appears he's lapsed into unconsciousness.
Ramsay Street
Paul and the others stand and watch as the firemen carry out their duties but as they return to Summer's room, Michael too is now unconscious as we head into the first commercial break of 2011.
Number 26
The firemen enter Summer's room and one of them reports that Michael isn't dead, he has a pulse whist another tries to clear the debris from around Andrew. The firemen are concerned that the rest of the house could go at any minute.
Ramsay Street
It's Paul's turn to be relieved now when he sees his son being stretchered down the stairs and he's told to move away so that Andrew can be taken into an ambulance. Michael is taken down on a stretcher too just behind him and the RSR's prepare to decamp to the hospital.
Erinsborough hospital
Doug pushes Summer in a wheelchair to a room, telling her she is being kept in overnight in case of complications. She spots the others being brought in too and wants to know if they are okay and is told they won't know that until they've been examined.
Jodie shouts for Doug to come as he is required and Sum jumps out of the wheelchair and watches on as Andrew and Michael are pushed past her, unconscious on trolleys (Karl is treating Tash). Lucas has to forcibly hold back Paul from being with his son.
Between Lyn and Jodie, a visibly shaken and upset Summer is forced back into her room (and a bed).
Natasha's room
Karl is telling Jodie that he's sedated Tash and agrees for her to sit with her (in case she gets anxious when she comes to). She reports that Michael is Tash's next of kin but there is nobody else listed for either. Karl enquires about him and she replies that Doug is working on him.
Summer has heard their conversation (they didn't hear her approach) and they only become aware of her once Lyn catches up with her. She asks if Tash is okay and Karl replies that she's got burns and has been sedated before insisting that she goes back to her bed.
Hospital corridor (later on)
Lucas finishes a call to Libby as Susan arrives at the hospital and asks for an update from Karl. He replies that Summer has smoke inhalation and Tash has some burns. Lucas enquires about Michael and is told he is stable (although still being assessed). Paul arrives too, to hear the news about Andrew - he is in theatre due to having some internal bleeding. Karl departs and Susan goes over to sit with Lyn and reassures her that things will be okay.
Summer's room
Summer sits in her bed, going through what happened today - declaring her love to Andrew, them TITTNL and Andrew giving her a Christmas present (a 'Summer of the dead' zombie badge). Seconds later, she is rummaging through her belongings trying to find the badge, relived to find it, just as Lyn and Susan enter her room. Lucas also enters to give them an update - Michael is stable and that Tash is still sedated.
Susan mentions what she brought back with her - some clothes since it could be a while since they get into the house but can't answer when Sum asks if they've lost everything.
Sum explains to them what happened - she was asleep, then Andrew woke her up and discovered that the house was full of smoke and confirms that she didn't hear the smoke alarm. Lucas asks when the last time the battery was changed and Sum replies that its changed every 2 months. "It was just so quick," she tells them.
Susan runs through a few possibilities over what could have started the fire but Sum replies that she switched everything off but adds that she put the other set of lights on the tree.
Erinsborough hospital exterior
Lyn sits at the front door thinking, whist inside Sum checks on the still sedated Tash and Andrew is transferred to recovery having come out of theatre.
Lucas and Susan join Lyn at the front door and give her some coffee and a sandwich. He relays the news that the fire is totally out and only #26 has been affected. "That's good," she mutters and Susan adds that the house has been sealed off too because it's unstable due to the collapse. Lucas then mentions that there will be an investigation and adds that she shouldn't worry, it won't take them long to figure out how it started.
Michael's room
As he lies in his bed, Michael has flashbacks to what happened in #26. Jodie spots him trying to get out of bed (he wants to see Tash) and goes to get a wheelchair when she realises he's not going to go back to bed to rest.
Tash's room
Jodie wheels Michael in as Karl checks on Tash. He isn't impressed to see Michael but relents and tells him to come towards her bed after he updates him.
Tash comes round and Michael explains where she is and why she is there. She tells her that Sum is safe and that he is okay but a bit sore. When she asks about Andrew, the room goes deathly silent and he pacifies her that only one visitor is allowed to see her at a time. That seems to satisfy her and she goes back to sleep.
Hospital corridor
Lyn is relieved to see Michael as Jodie pushes him out of Tash's room and thanks him for saving Summer's life. He does the neighbourly thing and tells her it wasn't her fault and to ask if they needs anything.
Meanwhile, Paul is trying to be the big man and is on the phone demanding that some specialist is brought to Erinsborough hospital now regardless of the cost. He isn't impressed either at Jodie telling him that Andrew is still in recovery. Paul is not impressed either when Lyn approaches to tell him that Doug is a good doctor and is puzzled when she said that what happened was an accident. Their conversation is curtailed when Jodie approaches Paul to tell him that Andrew is out of surgery and that Doug will explain things to him.
(Later)
Realising she isn't going to win, Jodie consents to allowing Summer to see Andrew but only for 5 minutes. Paul questions her wisdom of being out of bed too but tells her that Andrew would appreciate her being there. He admits to her that he is puzzled why Andrew didn't call 000 and Sum informs him that he did and replies to his question that they didn't hear the smoke alarm going off.
SUMMER: There was no warning, there was nothing. (Pause) What if he doesn't wake up?
Just as he is about to reassure her that he will, they are interrupted by the door to Andrew's room being opened and Andrew being rushed off to theatre again. "What's happening," Paul asks and it's Karl who answers him because Doug rushes off with Andrew - they can't stop the bleeding and can't promise Paul (or Summer) that he will be okay before too rushing off to theatre.
Erinsborough hospital exterior
Lyn is looking to the heavens as she stands by the front door of the hospital when Paul comes out to see her. He wants to know what she did.
LYN: I don't know what you are talking about.
PAUL: You begged me for money.
LYN: What's that got to do with anything?
PAUL: I know how desperate you are to get Steph out of jail... desperate enough to maybe set your house on fire and claim the insurance.
LYN: My granddaughter was in there.
PAUL: (angry) So was my son... I'm sure you weren't expecting that.
LYN: You have no idea what you are talking about.
(Lyn goes to move away and Paul grabs her arm)
PAUL: MY SON is in there fighting for his life. Now if I find out that you lit that fire deliberately, so help me Lyn. So help me.
Tomorrow on Neighbours
- Donna instigating a clothes drive.
- Paul trying to find out how the fire started and warning Lyn he won't drop it.
- Summer telling Tash that Andrew was in the house when the fire started.
- Andrew coming round and asking for Summer.
