Two firefighters in hospital after factory fire at Slacks Creek

A female firefighter has been left in a critical condition after running out of oxygen and falling unconscious at a large industrial fire south of Brisbane. Another firefighter was seriously injured.

A female firefighter remains in a critical condition following a large factory blaze south of Brisbane overnight.

Another remained in a serious but stable condition Tuesday evening following the incident at an events planning company in the early hours.

A firefighter runs into the scene of massive industrial blaze at Slacks Creek on Tuesday morning. Picture: Today/Twitter

It is understood the two were among three firefighters initially missing inside the burning building.

The trio were found soon, with the critically injured firefighter running out of oxygen and losing consciousness.

She was carried out of the building and taken to hospital in a critical condition.

A second female firefighter received burns and suffered smoke inhalation, while a male firefighter suffered minor smoke inhalation.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Deputy Commissioner Michael Wassing said QFES breathing apparatus safety teams had to “rescue some of their own”.

Two firefighters have been injured at a factory fire in Slacks Creek. Picture: QAS

“At the peak of our operations we had 45 firefighters actively involved,” he said.

Mr Wassing said both female firefighters were “very experienced ...10 to 15 years’ experience”.

“It is very rare that our firefighters are injured in this way and that’s because of the enormity of the training and professionalism of our firefighters.”

Police have declared the area a crime scene.

United Firefighters Union Queensland secretary John Oliver said: “I’m concerned for the fireys that have gone down, I’m very concerned for the firefighters that rescued those firefighters”.

Two firefighters have been injured at a factory fire in Slacks Creek. Picture: QAS

Mr Oliver said the incident would be “pulled apart forensically”.

“We will look into every aspect of what went wrong … communications … whether the breathing apparatus failed or not … the types of areas that were posted to them … it will all come out”.

But QPS Detective Inspector Chris Knight said the cause of the fire was yet to be determined.

“We do know that there was a power interruption over the last few days as a result of a power pole knocked down, there has been generated power for a period of time intermittently,” he said.

Det Knight said there is currently “limited access” to the building.

The blaze ignited at the factory adjacent to the Pacific Highway about 2.30am.

The fire was declared under control just after 6am, but multiple crews and three senior officers, remained on the scene.

Motorists had been urged to avoid the area, with peak-hour traffic on the highway congested back to Pimpama, facing delays of up to 40 minutes.

Nearby residents were warned to close windows and doors and those suffering from respiratory conditions have been urged to keep medications close by.

Two firefighters have been injured at a factory fire in Slacks Creek. Picture: QAS

The owner of a nearby coffee business was contacted about 5.30am, with news his facility was at risk.

Extraction Artisan Coffee owner Alex Milosevic said there was a “massive blaze” and a “horrible smell of plastic” when he arrived.

“I heard there were two fireys injured and in a pretty bad way.”

Treasurer and Rankin MP Jim Chalmers paid tribute to the firefighters, saying he hoped they make a speedy recovery.

“We all know the unbelievable sacrifice that these fireys and their colleagues make in looking after our local community,” he said.