Drone footage of Randle St, Surry Hills fire aftermath

Bird’s-eye drone footage captured by firefighters overnight and on Friday shows the huge destruction from the Surry Hills inferno. WATCH IT HERE

Incredible drone footage captured by firefighters shows the huge spread of destruction from the Surry Hills inferno.

The footage released by Fire and Rescue NSW shows the two destroyed buildings looking more like a scene from Ukraine, with just melted staircases, exploded windows and piles of brick left behind.

Video captured inside the office building opposite shows the intense heat had melted wine bottles and glasses and destroyed windows.

It also shows the remains of a ute parked outside the burnt building which caught alight, the cab left melted and mangled.

Fire and Rescue NSW drone footage of the heritage building destroyed by fire.

Fire and Rescue NSW drone footage of the heritage building destroyed by fire.

Fire and Rescue NSW drone footage of the heritage building destroyed by fire.

Fire and Rescue NSW drone footage of the heritage building destroyed by fire.

Fire and Rescue NSW drone footage of the heritage building destroyed by fire.

Fire and Rescue NSW drone footage of the heritage building destroyed by fire.

Fire and Rescue NSW drone footage of the heritage building destroyed by fire.

The 110-year-old Surry Hills building went up in flames about 4pm Thursday and dramatically collapsed in front of hundreds of people who watched on as firefighters dodged falling debris in a vain attempt to extinguish the inferno.

It was one of the biggest building fires in Sydney’s recent history.

The blaze began on the third floor of the vacant heritage building at 7-13 Randle St, Surry Hills and quickly engulfed the entire six-storey structure.

Nearby residents were warned of dangerous conditions at the fire site.

A drone is dispatched to assess damage. Picture: John Grainger

In a matter of minutes a tornado of black smoke towered into the sky as NSW Fire & Rescue worked to extinguish the blaze, and witnesses heard explosions ringing out from inside the collapsed wreckage.

At one stage more than 30 fire trucks and 120 firefighters were on the scene battling the raging inferno.

Firefighters were forced to keep their distance as a smaller building alongside the blaze also went up in flames, with multiple walls and sections of ceiling breaking apart and falling to the street below in waves of burning hot debris.

Firefighters put out a fire in a ute parked on the street below, but the vehicle was later crushed by debris.

A wall collapsed during the building fire in Surry Hills. Picture: AAP

Huge chunks of the wall fell to the street. Picture: AAP

Emergency response

A number of agencies are working together in the aftermath of the building fire.

While detectives from the State Crime Command’s Arson Unit are leading the investigation into the cause of the fire, they are also being assisted by specialist investigators from Fire and Rescue NSW’s Fire Investigation and Research Unit.

At least 70 residents have been displaced after two residential buildings were evacuated in the wake of the blaze and alternate accommodation has been made available.

NSW Police announced on Friday an “Emergency Operations Centre has been activated in Sydney to co-ordinate multi-agency operations following a large building fire at Surry Hills”.

“The priorities for the emergency operation are to render the fire ground safe to allow on-site investigations, co-ordinate for the safe demolition of the remaining structures, limit the impacts on traffic and public transport, and importantly, house displaced residents and ensure the timely return to their properties,” NSW Police said in a statement.

“Engineers and experts from NSW Public Works are continuing to monitor the stability of the remaining structure. They have instigated assessments and will determine the most appropriate method of demolition.”