Posts by mitchffb
How hundreds of lives were thrown into chaos when Neo 200 caught fire
It was dawn and the city was starting to wake when small flames began to lick up the side of a towering apartment complex in Melbourne’s centre. On a balcony crowded with furniture, books and flattened cardboard boxes, a lit cigarette had been smouldering near some clothing, possibly for hours. Then, with astonishing speed, a…
Read MoreBuilding watchdog orders 677 buildings on Gold Coast to undergo independent audit on combustible cladding
PROPERTY owners in more than 670 buildings on the Gold Coast have been asked to cough up $2.7 million in three weeks to prove their homes are not about to go up in smoke. The Queensland Building Construction Corporation (QBCC) has declared 677 buildings must undergo an independent audit — at an estimated cost of…
Read MoreWorkers evacuated, smoke spreads from large industrial fire
FIREFIGHTERS have rushed to a Coolum Beach business where a yard full of cardboard is on fire. A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said multiple crews were responding to Carters Transport on Quanda Rd, and would likely be battling the blaze for some time. He said an estimated 100 tonnes of cardboard was alight,…
Read MoreHouse fire forces authorities to close street
UPDATE, 4pm: THE fire which claimed a house on May St was extinguished this afternoon, but the street will remain in a lockdown today until forensic investigators arrive to determine the cause of the fire. While the fire is not considered to be suspicious, the easternmost end of May St will be closed to all…
Read MoreBrisbane’s Port Office Hotel burns after fire starts in kitchen
A Heritage-listed Brisbane pub has been saved from major structural damage after a fire started in the kitchen and spread into the roof. The fire started in the kitchen of the Port Office Hotel, on the corner of Edward and Margaret street in the CBD, about 12.10pm, a Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said.…
Read MoreExotic fish killed in pet shop break in and fire in Sydney’s west
Exotic fish worth thousands of dollars were killed when a suspicious fire ripped through a pet shop in Sydney’s west on Monday, police say. Just before 10pm, fire crews were called to the business at Emu Plains and took around half an hour to extinguish the blaze, a Fire and Rescue NSW spokeswoman said. Police said the…
Read MoreHigh-risk cladding found on hundreds of Sydney apartment blocks, investigation finds
More than 400 buildings in Sydney may have high-risk flammable cladding installed, as authorities try and get on top of what could be a death trap. Lockhart Chambers on Macquarie Street in Sydney’s CBD erupted in flames only days after the cladding had been removed. The owners had been notified that the facade was potentially…
Read MoreGovernment to review safety advice amid new high-rise cladding fears
Concerns over post-Grenfell fire checks come as government is poised to confirm ban on combustible materials The government has ordered a review of building safety advice amid concerns that scores of tall buildings fitted with combustible cladding and insulation may have been missed by a testing programme following the Grenfell Tower fire. James Brokenshire, the housing…
Read MoreQueensland fire: Police doing final sweep urging evacuations
Queensland firefighters, NSW Rural Firefighters and volunteers are bracing for extreme weather that will continue to wreak havoc across fire ravaged communities today. The Deepwater blaze is still a major concern for firefighters with residents in Baffle Creek, Oyster Creek and Rules Beach areas advised they have about an hour to evacuate or risk becoming…
Read MoreSunnybank home engulfed by fire
A HOUSE fire on Brisbane’s southside near a train station has caused havoc for commuters. The home on Albyn Rd, Sunnybank, between Sunnybank and Altandi stations, has reportedly been gutted. Emergency services were called to the blaze about 7.15am. A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said there were multiple crews on scene battling the…
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