Girraween factory fire sees Great Western Highway shut

A main artery road in Sydney has finally reopened after being shut for hours as more than 100 firefighters battled a fierce blaze at a factory in Sydney’s west.

A large factory fire that broke out at Girraween overnight has been contained. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

More than 100 firefighters have been battling a major warehouse fire which erupted in western Sydney overnight, seeing a major highway shut for close to four hours.

The blaze ignited at Girraween on the Great Western Highway, with fire crews called to a warehouse about 2am.

Acting Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said crews had arrived to find flames shooting up to 30 metres into the air.

“We got the call that it was a big fire, there are 20 trucks here and more than 100 firefighters on the scene,” Act Comm Fewtrell told 9 News.

“Luckily there aren’t any reports of injuries and firefighters have been able to maintain their safety.”

A large factory fire has broken out in Girraween. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

The Great Western Highway was closed in both directions between Greystanes Rd and Beresford Rd by 3am, as efforts to extinguish the blaze continued.

But by 7.30am, the highway had reopened in both directions under contraflow conditions, with motorists encouraged to use alternative routes including the M5.

On Sunday morning as the sun rose, firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control but part of the building had collapsed.

Act Comm Fewtrell said firefighters were using cherrypickers to continue to work on the blaze.

“We have four aerial appliances, the large cherry picture-type trucks are able to reach over the building … there are still little pockets of fire under the walls and roof under the building and using those cherry pickers to reach,” he said.

The cause of the fire is not yet known but fire investigators will begin examining the scene on Sunday.