Fire rips through north Brisbane gym days before grand opening

High school sweethearts’ dream of opening a new gym in north Brisbane is in tatters after fires erupted in their FitStop this morning ahead of a planned grand opening.

The dream of opening their own gym came to a blazing halt for high school sweethearts Matt Gilbert and Jill Sibley when their FitStop in Brisbane’s north caught fire just five days before its grand opening.

FitStop Strathpine was planned to open on Saturday.

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Emergency services rushed to the scene of the smoke-logged gym at Gympie Rd in Strathpine around 6am this morning.

Several small fires were found inside the gym, according to a spokesman from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

Jill Sibley and Matt Gilbert planned to open the FitStop Strathpine on Saturday.

Six fire crews attended the scene and brought the blaze under control within 15 minutes.

A spokeswoman for the Queensland Ambulance Service said paramedics were on site but no one was in the building at the time of the fire.

The extent of the damage is unclear at this time.

Jill Sibley and Matt Hunt planned to open FitStop Strathpine on Saturday.

A fire investigation unit is on scene to determine the cause.

Owners Mr Gilbert and Ms Sibley planned to open the functional group fitness gym on Saturday September 19.

“This is something I’m so passionate about, and to be able to bring (FitStop) to another community is really important to me,” Ms Sibley said on the gym’s Facebook page.

An artist rendering of the interior of the FitStop Strathpine that caught fire this morning.

Ms Sibley was unable to comment at this time.

Further information to come.