Fears building in Surry Hills could collapse and roads remain closed
Acting NSW Fire and Rescue Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said firefighters had been working all night to contain the blaze but as of Friday morning it was still burning.
“We obviously made a lot of progress overnight. There are still some road closures in the area but the fire is almost out,” he told 2GB.
“It will still take a while [to extinguish] because much of the debris of the building collapsed [itself]and so, among all the rubble, a large heap burns inside the building.
“It’s very difficult for us to get the water right there and put it out completely, so we deployed emergency services throughout the night.”
Chalmers Street remains closed from the Cleveland Street intersection to Central Station and all of Randle Street. Elizabeth Street is also closed southbound between Eddy Avenue and Devonshire Street. A few small alleys near the site are also closed.
Light rail services are now operating as usual, while some bus routes have been diverted, including routes 308, 310, 343, 374, 320 and 440.
Commuters Cosette Jackson and Esmee Laville were unable to come to work at One Playground Gym in Surry Hills this morning due to the road closures.
“We didn’t know if the street was open, if the street was closed to cars, or if we could get in, and of course we start early, so we got in anyway,” Jackson said.
The couple were working when the fire broke out Thursday afternoon and said it had only gotten bigger.
“You could feel the heat and it smelled crazy and then it started raining burning ash … so no one was crossing the street,” Laville said.
Emergency vehicles on Elizabeth Street in Surry Hills on Friday morning.Credit: Kate Geraghty
Fewtrell said the cause of the fire remains unknown and that police and fire investigators will determine it once it is certain.
“Given the extent of the damage at this crime scene, it will be very difficult to gain access to this crime scene and conduct a thorough investigation safely at the early stages,” he said.
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The fire broke out around 4pm on Thursday in a vacant building at 11 Randle Street, near Central Station, and quickly escalated to a “10th night”. Alarm”, the most severe type of fire.
Explosions were heard as the flames engulfed the area. Just before a large section of wall exploded outward, a huge ball of fire rose up and littered the street with brick, concrete, and other debris.
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