Bill Atmore was dozing on his lounge when his daughter alerted him to a fire in his back paddock.
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The south Maitland man jumped up and ran outside to find the caravan in his yard on fire.
"The flames were big," he said.
"We rushed in but there wasn't anything we could do."
The fire, on the corner of Evans and Blomfield streets, was fast-burning and there were concerns it would spread to the Atmore's house or neighbouring properties.
"By the time we called triple-0 the fire brigade was nearly here," he said.
Three fire crews responded to the emergency call made late on March 15 and had the fire under control by 9pm. The blaze completely gutted the caravan and destroyed its contents including furniture, a television and kitchen appliances.
A nearby tree also caught alight.
Ambulance crews attended the scene and Mr Atmore's daughter Kylee was treated for smoke inhalation. She has since made a full recovery.
There was no one in the caravan at the time of the fire and an investigation is under way into the cause of the blaze.
"I'd say it is straight to the scrap metal heap now," Mr Atmore said.