QUEANBEYAN Showground's

grandstand is lucky to be standing

after the quick thinking of a

resident.

The local fire station received a

call on Sunday at 6.36am after a

person driving past the showground

noticed smoke coming

from the grandstand.

Firemen were lucky to catch the

fire lit from a bundle of

newspapers at the top of the

grandstand before the fire spread.

Station officer David Ebbels,

who was one of the firemen called

to the fire said it was hard to

assess the damage because of its

historical value.

Mr Ebbels said although there

was minimal damage he was

thankful that the person had put

the call in early.

Queanbeyan Show Society secretary

Dawn Mayne was also very

grateful to the person who phoned

the fire station.

''These vandals may find

destroying buildings funny but I

don't find it funny,'' she said.

''This showground is heritage

listed.

''Whoever called in and

reported the fire deserves a medal

because if they hadn't seen it - I

don't know what would have

happened.''

Mrs Mayne suspects the

floorboards damaged by the fire

may have been the grandstand's

original floorboards.

She said the society was very

thankful to whoever had reported

the fire.