Road chaos warning as fire rips through Mascot car park lot
A HYDROPONIC drugs set-up has been found amid a ‘rabbit warren of rooms’ after a massive blaze broke out at a Mascot valet carparking business, leading to road chaos around Sydney Airport today.
A HYDROPONIC drugs set-up has been discovered after a massive blaze broke out at a Mascot valet carparking business, leading to road chaos around Sydney Airport today.
Firefighters arrived to find flames shooting out of the building in which a number of cars, including a red Ferrari, were parked on O’Riordan Street just after 5am.
After the blaze was extinguished by Fire & Rescue NSW, a hydroponic cannabis crop was found inside the building.
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Norm Buckley said the crop was uncovered amid a “rabbit warren of rooms” in the upper levels of the industrial building.
“It took crews quite a while to the seat of the fire — where the fire was,” he said.
Mr Buckley said the fire started somewhere in the top storey of the building where the crop was also located.
He said police investigators would inspect the scene once firefighters had declared the area safe.
“(Police) don’t have the protective gear that we have, so once we make it secure and make it safe we can start allow them to go in,” he said.
Officers from Botany Bay Police Area Command established a crime scene and detectives are investigating.
Authorities are warning motorists of delays around the airport during the morning peak as crews work to contain the blaze. No injuries have been reported to police and no occupants were inside the building.
Police reopened closed-off O’Riordan Street to traffic at 6.45am, however they have warned motorists to expect heavy delays during the morning.
“Motorists are strongly urged to avoid travelling via O’Riordan Street and should use Botany Road as an alternative,” authorities said.
“Motorists travelling to the airport should expect delays and allow plenty of additional travel time.”
It is understood a 36-year-old man was living above the valet business in a unit where the crop was uncovered.
He was out when the fire broke out and returned home at 7am before going to Mascot police station to report to police what had happened.
The man had been living in the building for a number of months before this morning’s fire.
A neighbour told reporters the premises used to be a brothel.
Speaking to reporters, NSW Police Inspector Darrin Laing said officers had yet to inspect the crop and could not say how large or sophisticated it was.
“There was one male occupant that was living there — he was away for the night,” he said.
“He has since returned home this morning and has spoken with police.
“Hydroponic set ups can be quite dangerous, normally they involve electricity bypassing, which makes it very unsafe and very unstable.
“A lot of work isn’t carried out by qualified electricians, so the risk of fire in these sorts of premises is obviously great.”
Several vehicles sustained smoke and water damage. A red Ferrari and other luxury cars were parked inside the building.
An investigation is ongoing and police forensic teams are yet to gain access to the unit.
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