Well known Redlands business owner shares emotional turmoil and financial impact of mega fire

A fire-gutted Brisbane shopping centre that has served a community for 50 years will likely have to be destroyed, as desperate small business owners scramble to save their enterprises.

A prominent building at a bayside shopping centre thought to be fifty years old will likely be entirely demolished after an early morning fire tore through it nearly three weeks ago.

The once bustling centre on Old Cleveland Rd in Capalaba now stands eerily quiet.

It took 23 fire crews to bring the rampant blaze under control after its ignition at around 4am on September 9.

Made safe by emergency services, much of the strip “seems dead” while investigators and builders decide its fate.

C'ba Hair salon gutted after a fire on September 9. Picture: C'ba Hair.

Two adjoining buildings suffered smoke and water damage but have since been repaired with trade under way.

However centre management have indicated an entire building, of the three located at the location, will likely come down pending confirmation from investigators.

Left in its wake are ten small businesses whose premises were largely destroyed, leaving them scrambling to stay alive, with some in a “holding pattern”, some to close permanently and others to restart elsewhere.

Emma Hayes, owner of award-winning C’ba Hair, charged “full steam ahead” to secure a new premises just down the road at 145 Old Cleveland Rd.

Ever upbeat, Ms Hayes could not disguise the fire’s impact.

Emma Hayes is fast at work re-establishing her business nearby. Picture: C'ba Hair.

“The reality of it is I have no income since the fire but I still have to pay wages, I have to continue paying rent at the new premises.

“So financially it has been a hard hit.

“And even though I am covered for insurance, I am only covered for half the interruption.

“And I am covered for contents but it will take a while as it is with a forensic accountant while they are investigating everything.

“And I am fearful of losing our clientele because we had to let them go.

“We are just praying that they do come back.”

The business owner lamented the loss of a storeyed, if underrated shopping strip.

“The history behind that building was pretty big,” she said.

“It was one of the first shopping centres in the area.

“So it was definitely a sad day for the Redlands when it burnt down.

“It was such a happening little strip and now it is just dead.”

The Capalaba shopping centre stands forlorn after being made safe by emergency workers. Picture: C'ba Hair.

A well known identity in the Redlands following a memorable stint on reality television, Ms Hayes noted a lingering emotional loss after the fire.

Many of the business’ first scissors, prized for their sentiment, were destroyed and so affected the story of her business.

With 13 staff on the books they now look to greener pastures with C’ba Hair The Comeback, which Ms Hayes hopes to open in November.

“They are such good girls and they have been financially hard hit,” Ms Hayes said of her staff.

“And the unknown makes it difficult; every day there is something new that comes up in the aftermath.

“But they have been great at pivoting and taking it head on with some focusing on further training on apprenticeships at a local college.

“They are amazing and keeping in good spirits.”

C'ba Hair salon owner Emma Hayes with staff in the fire's aftermath

Director of Ray White Commercial Bayside, Nathan Moore, said it is the worst fire he has been involved with in his 25-year career.

Unable to give specific figures while investigations are under way, Mr Moore confirmed the damage will be in the “many millions”.

“A full demolition of the building is the likely outcome,” he said.

“We are working with builders and investigators to finalise things.

“It is likely that premises from Chemist Warehouse to Elemental Connections will be demolished.

“There is some fairly detailed work being undertaken by the property owners’ insurance companies in concert with their structural engineers and building design team.

“And we should hopefully be in a position to know what that looks like in the coming weeks.

“In terms of the number of people affected and the damage suffered it is the worst fire I have been involved with.”

Resident C'ba Hair dog Albie out front of the premises.

“As good as fifty years old” according to Mr Moore, the loss of the building has had a significant impact on tenants, many of whom invested 20 years at the location.

“The principal impact is on the small businesses that were trading on that site,” Mr Moore said.

“They are mostly family-run enterprises who through no fault of their own will have to find somewhere else to trade or go into a holding pattern until we confirm it is a full demolition or what the rebuild looks like.”

The agent advised a reconstruction at the site would likely take some 12 months and reported some tenants were eager to remain.

Melin Vietnamese and Chinese, Elemental Connection, Chemist Warehouse, Tru-Brew, My Physio, QML Pathology, Workways, Redlands Medical Centre and the Colonic Clinic are all believed to have suffered major damage.

Mr Moore encouraged locals to lend them what support they can during this trying time.

Fire investigators could not confirm how the fire started saying, “investigations are inconclusive and ongoing”.