Neighbour speaks after Byron Bay Global Ripple Op Shop badly damaged by raging ‘wall of flames’ on Monday night
A neighbour fears spot fires will flare up inside a Byron shop and damage his home after the business went up in flames, drawing firefighters from far and wide.
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A neighbour fears spot fires will flare up inside a Byron Bay op shop and damage his home after the business was badly damaged in a blaze.
Byron Bay Global Ripple Op Shop on Grevillea St went up in flames on Monday night. It’s understood other businesses were also damaged.
Fire and Rescue NSW and Rural Fire Service firefighters were called in from across the North Coast and into Queensland.
On Tuesday afternoon, Tweed/Byron Police officers were still investigating the suspicious fire and spot fires were still of concern amid strong winds.
Paul Gomersall, 62, lives next door to the crime scene.
He has been waiting on the street to re-enter his home after being evacuated by police when the fire began shortly before 8.30pm on Monday.
Mr Gomersall said he had been told he could not re-enter his home due to the risk of the fire reigniting, which made it difficult for police to continue investigations.
“They’re trying to put out all the little spot fires inside,” he said.
When the fire began, Mr Gomersall said he was sitting in his living room with two of his other neighbours.
“One minute there was no fire and the next minute it was just this wall of flames,” he said.
“It was pretty crazy and really fast.”
Mr Gomersall was worried about the personal belongings in his home, but feeling grateful for online cloud storage.
“Most of my stuff is on Dropbox … it wasn’t even a thought in my head to take stuff out,” he said.
Mr Gomersall was one of many neighbours waiting on the street to allowed back home.
Police had to knock on the door of a band rehearsal studio which was in practise and dangerously close by when the fire was in full force on Monday night.
They didn’t know they were in potential danger, neighbours said.
A neighbour’s car parked at the crime scene was badly damaged by flames.
Neighbours did not report hearing or seeing suspicious activity and suspected an electrical fault, despite police suspicions.
Global Ripple Op Shop staff posted on its Facebook page, expressing “utter devastation and loss” for the team and the community, and noting damage to two more businesses.
“Our iconic love nest has been completely lost and destroyed in a fire, which not only engulfed our premises but our neighbour Byron Taxi’s and Suby Cafe,” the Facebook post states.
“We’re on the hunt for a new space to create magic and ripple out.”
Global Ripple has set up a GoFundMe fundraiser online and it’s stated insurance would not cover the damage caused.
The business had raised $1000 towards a $50,000 goal by Tuesday afternoon.
“So many people in our community find us as a sanctuary and a safe haven and we need the support to continue to shine and prosper,” the fundraiser reads.
“We want to raise funds to rebuild and come back stronger and bigger than ever.”
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