A CAR caught fire when it collided head on with another car in Thornlie last night.
The two cars crashed into one another on the corner of Spencer Rd and Warton Rd about 8.20pm last night.
One car, believed to be a Holden Commodore, caught fire as a result of damage to its fuel lines.
About $6,000 worth of damage was caused to the car.
Nobody was injured in the accident or the ensuing fire.
Updated
A man was trapped in his bed under rubble after a massive tree crashed against his house in Parkwood (Kathryn Diss)
A couple in their 50s are lucky to be alive after a tree fell on their house in the Perth suburb of Parkwood.
The tree landed across the front of their house during last night's storms and caused extensive damage.
The State Emergency Service's Allen Gale says a man was trapped in his bed under the rubble.
"There was a man trapped under that tree inside the house for half an hour or so. I believe a man and a woman were both taken to hospital to be treated," he said.
"We're just so very fortunate that it hasn't been more serious."
A neighbour, Olivia Bong, says she heard the tree falling on the house in Ravenslea Drive.
"I heard a big bang and then I saw there is one big truck coming in and one small car with the lights (emergency vehicles) coming to the house and then the house was blacked out," she said.
A cold front over the south-west of the state dumped heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 100 kilometres an hour buffeted the coast.
Almost 30 millimetres of rain has fallen in Perth while 50 fell in Bickley.
Mr Gale says SES crews have been busy.
"We've had moderate damage in the metro area; about 52 calls for assistance in total. There's been another five out in the country," he said.
Up to 5,000 people in Thornlie lost power during the height of the storm last night.
Western Power says most have been reconnected but up to 400 customers may be without power for another 5 hours.
Meanwhile, a sea rescue boat has been deployed off the Carnarvon coast to stop a 30-foot yacht, with two people onboard, from smashing into rocks.
A number of vessels have dragged anchor in the strong winds.
Rick Friswell from the local volunteer sea rescue team says it is a risky situation, especially if the vessel comes into contact with rocks.
"The vessel will be badly damaged, possibly holed and sink there so that vessel could sustain quite substantial damage to it if they do get smashed into the rocks," he said.
The Bureau of Meteorology's duty forecaster Matt Boterhoven says the wild weather is set to continue today.
"The strong cold front is still moving through the south-west of the state," he said.
"Expect some wild weather during Friday with thunderstorms, could produce wind gusts up to 90 kilometres per hour."
"We've got a severe weather warning for the South-West land division, Southern Gascoyne, south and west to Goldfields and that includes various towns around that area and Perth."
Council approves budget for City of Gosnells
City of Gosnells Councillors have approved a 7.3 per cent rise in rates, with soaring landfill levies and electricity tariffs contributing to the increase as well as the need to provide for a rapidly growing population.
Mayor Olwen Searle said the City worked hard to make sure the increase in rates is the lowest possible in circumstances, which see the City facing a $580,000 increase in electricity charges and a rise in the State Government landfill levy to $28 per tonne which will increase the cost of refuse disposal by around $370,000.
“The City is facing major increases in power bills, water, landfill levies and other charges,” the Mayor said.
“As a Council we have to balance our desire to keep rates as low as possible with the need to look after a rapidly growing community. The City has processed record numbers of building applications over the past 12 months and all those people need infrastructure such as roads, drainage and parks.
“The services the City of Gosnells delivers are absolutely vital. Economic development, essential infrastructure projects and vulnerable members of our community all suffer if services are cut.
“Sustainable development will continue to be a priority as several major projects come to fruition and new work begins on a number of innovative plans for public spaces.
“The City of Gosnells will be undertaking $19 million worth of new capital works projects in this financial year.”
Stage 2 of the Amherst Village Estate will be completed in the early part of the financial year enabling 99 residential lots and three mixed use lots to be put on the market.
The City will be also looking forward to the completion of the Public Open Space Strategy which is an important document aimed at assisting in the provision and management of public open space throughout the City.
The Mills Park water harvesting project will see the establishment of a reliable water source for the active reserves at this regional facility.
With the assistance of the community it is expected that a Master Plan will be approved to enable future funding consideration for a significant upgrade of the active and passive recreation spaces that make up Mills Park.
The Kenwick Revitalisation Project will involve the undergrounding of power to a number of properties around the Kenwick Village.
There will also be a major upgrading of the streetscapes in Belmont Road, Kenwick Road, Shere Street and Stretton Way around the Kenwick Village Shopping Centre.
The redevelopment of Stretton Way Reserve will transform the area into a major local focal point for passive and active recreation activity.
The minimum residential rates bill will rise from $697 last year to $747 with refuse and recycling charges increased to $223.
Ratepayers will have a chance to win up to $1000 off their rate bill thanks to competitions supported by Forest Lakes Shopping Centre and Westpac Bank. Details of the competitions will be delivered with rates notices, along with a newsletter, advice on firebreaks and a recycling calendar.
