Cambridge Collision Centre destroyed by 10m-high fire in Coorparoo
Two longstanding Coorparoo businesses have been ripped apart by a monster fire this morning with 15 crews battling to contain the blaze for more than an hour.
QLD News
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A 50-year-old institution is one of two businesses to have been ripped apart by a huge fire which broke out in Coorparoo this morning.
More than a dozen crews have managed to contain a huge industrial fire at businesses on Cambridge St and Cavendish Rd, Coorparoo after it sparked up about 4.55am.
Fifteen Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crews responded, with the fire under control by about 6.15am.
The 10m-high flames ripped through at least two businesses on streets, a panel beaters, Cambridge Collision Centre, and an eatery, Cav Rd Canteen.
Cambridge Collision Centre is a local institution having opened in 1974 leaving owner Antony Savva devastated.
“Basically one of our spray booths caught fire, I had guys working there and it caught on fire,” Mr Savva said.
“One of our panel beaters got up on the roof and put an extinguisher through it, but it didn’t go out and he fell off the ladder coming down and I think he has a broken arm.
“There’s nothing much they could do about it, we’ve lost a few cars, but the business is not workable anymore.”
Mr Savva said the business had been operating for decades.
“It’s a good business, it’s been here for a long time, I’ve been here for 14 years and it was there for another 20 before,” he said. “I am not feeling too good, we’re insured, we’ll let our company deal with it and we’ll work through it.”
Cav Rd Canteen operator Chris Abrahams was shocked when he was told of the blaze by The Courier-Mail.
“Oh my God,” Mr Abrahams said.
“It’s a disaster, we started the business in December, that’s awful.
“It’s just devastating, it’s terrible.”
QFES Acting Inspector Mark Power said significant resources were deployed at the extensive fire.
“On arrival, the first responding crews reported a very large fire and immediately went into action,” Insp Power said.
“The damage has been contained to the business of origin, there was a couple of small tenancies at the very front and the fire has gone through and destroyed those as well.
“There’s some smoke damage into the adjoining premises.”
Insp Power said crews had faced many challenges while trying to bring the fire under control.
“The challenges were obviously the size of the fire, we couldn’t make an internal attack on the fire due to the size, so our operators were restricted to outside,” he said.
“There was a big fire load just from the cars themselves
“The key thing was stopping that fire from spreading to adjoining properties and premises.”
He also hailed the two employees at the business who attempted to put out the blaze.
“Those two employees attempted to put the fire out with an extinguisher, but they couldn’t so they self evacuated and they were transported to hospital with a bit of smoke inhalation, but they did the right thing,” he said.
Acting Inspector Power said investigations will soon commence into the cause of the fire.
One person suffered an arm injury and another a burn, Queensland Ambulance Services reported.
Both people were taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in stable conditions.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman confirmed several people had been evacuated and that all occupants had been accounted for.
Parts of Cavendish Rd and Cambridge St have been closed with motorists and pedestrians advised to avoid the area if possible.
Residents should close windows and doors and keep respiratory medications close by, if required. Motorists should drive with caution and to the conditions.
Trains on the Cleveland line are still running but Queensland Rail has urged passengers to not disembark at Coorparoo station which has been closed due to the fire.
More to come.
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