THREE men who risked their lives to save a family from their burning home will be nominated for bravery awards.
The men, all aged in their 40s, were driving past the home on the Princes Highway at Norlane, near Geelong, about 1.30am (AEST) today when they noticed the fire and heard people screaming.
They entered the house and rescued a 50-year-old man, his 40-year-old wife and their three children aged nine, seven and 16 months.
Both of the parents are hearing impaired.
Rescuer Brendan Johnston said he found the parents and the 16-month-old trapped between the burning house and a garden fence.
"They were just yelling and crying and everything ... she was badly cut.
"She was just yelling out `my boys, my boys, the back, the back`."
Fellow rescuer Nick Tzevakos and another man ran through flames to find the other children at the back of the house.
"And I asked where she was in the house and she just kept pointing to the back of the house," Mr Tzevakos said.
"Me and the other guy that came with me, we just sort of went for it."
It is the third time the family`s house has burnt down. They were forced to move 18 months ago in similar circumstances.
Senior Constable David Fitzgerald said the rescuers had to pass one of the children to police through a side window.
"There`s no doubt these guys will be nominated for bravery awards," he told AAP.
"They`ve risked their lives to save these children."
The children`s father suffered serious burns, but his injuries were not considered life-threatening. His wife sustained cuts and abrasions to her hands.
Sen Const Fitzgerald said the fire was being treated as suspicious.
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