‘Electrical fault’ sparks Camperdown fire
A CAMPERDOWN resident has told of how she was forced to flee her home after a fire caused ash to “rain down” on her courtyard.
Inner West
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A CAMPERDOWN resident has told of how she was forced to flee her home after a fire caused ash and asbestos particles to “rain down” on her courtyard.
Meaghan Kirby checked into a nearby hotel after a ferocious blaze ripped through an old warehouse building on the corner of Australia and Eton streets about 9.30am on Sunday.
Inner West Council set up an exclusion zone so cars and houses could be cleaned after the fire caused the asbestos-roof to collapse.
The owner of the building says the fire was caused by an electrical fault and the tenant escaped just before it “went up like a firecracker”.
“I was hanging out some washing and I opened the back door and discovered ash raining down on the courtyard,” Ms Kirby said.
“My partner Chris and I immediately ran out of the house in our pyjamas and saw the giant flames coming from the warehouse two doors down.”
A council spokeswoman said Australia St, from Salisbury Rd to Fowler St, remained closed on Monday as well as Eton St and Eton and Fowler lanes.
Police officers, who were wearing masks, warned pedestrians to avoid the area which is near Camperdown Oval and popular cafes Store and Gather on the Green.
“Council staff, asbestos removal contractors and an industrial hygienist are currently on site, where they are continuing to assess, secure and clean the area,” the spokeswoman said.
“Actions include cleaning nearby vehicles of waste and dust and accessing nearby roofs, houses and verges for assessment and cleaning.”
Cars caught in the exclusion zone were due to be cleaned by 4pm on Monday.
A development application to construct four, three-bedroom apartments on the 255sq m site was approved on April 30.
Building owner Lee Manton said police had told her they had concluded their investigation which uncovered “nothing suspicious”.
She was told it was an “electrical fault” caused by an overloaded power point.
Ms Manton would speak to their insurance company before deciding whether to reinstate the building and re-lease it as a commercial premises or “just get on” with constructing the apartments as soon as they get a construction certificate.
“We’ll do everything to save the original structure,” she said.
“The whole design of the development is around retaining that building and the beauty of the development is within that structure.”
The building was originally owned by the Mark Foy’s department store company before it operated for many years as a warehouse for the Dairy Bell ice cream shop across the road.
Ms Manton bought it in 2013.
Ms Manton said her tenant had stated on the lease he was using the premises for a computer business but it was “jam packed with all kinds stuff to the roof” when she visited.
“He heard the spark and saw the smoke and decided to get out which was incredibly wise because it went up like a firecracker,” she said.
“We’re very lucky there was no fatalities.”
Ms Kirby said the building was “filled to the brim with junk”.
“When I rang the fire brigade they asked what’s in that building that’s flammable and I said: ‘Everything, it’s full of old machinery, wooden furniture and there were gas bottles on the street unexploded and the fireman said: ‘If they’d gone up we would have all been in trouble’.”
Ms Kirby praised police and Fire and Rescue NSW for their quick response with dramatic footage from Humans of Newtown (above) showing 25 firefighters battling the blaze, successfully preventing it from spreading to neighbouring buildings. There were no injuries.
“There were five or six fire trucks there within five minutes,” Ms Kirby said.
“I’ve got video of the flames licking up over the top of our neighbours’ roof and towards our house.
“Our house is full of asbestos smoke so until the Hazmat teams are finished, we can’t go back and our car was parked in Clayton Lane so that has to be hosed down and looked over as well.
“All my clothes out on the washing line have to be binned because they’re probably covered in asbestos dust. We apparently have to get special cleaning equipment.”
Other neighbours fled their homes without their phones and clothes.
A police spokesman said: “A crime scene has been established and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.” A Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman said the fire may have started in the roof space.
The council spokeswoman said they had not received any complaints about the site being used by squatters. The Courier contacted the owner’s architect for comment.
Read more about asbestos and health safety matters here.