Long wait for Rent A Space Brookvale fire customers can inspect possessions
Customers with valuables stored in units not directly impacted by last week’s Brookvale storage facility fire could be forced to wait more than a month before knowing the fate of their possessions.
CUSTOMERS with goods stored in Rent A Space buildings not directly impacted by the Brookvale self-storage fire could be forced to wait more than a month before knowing the fate of their possessions.
Management has already told clients that items in the 290 units located in the main building, which caught alight on Thursday last week, were destroyed and were not salvageable.
Now police say that while three other buildings in the Cross St complex “are in better shape”, the people renting a total of 300 lockers will not yet be allowed in see their possessions.
In a statement on the Northern Beaches Police Facebook page, Rent A Space customers were told there was a plan to inspect and clean the buildings not damaged by fire “so property owners can be escorted in”.
NSW Fire & Rescue has said the buildings may contain potentially harmful contaminants.
“However, with the safety of all still paramount, this process will take time,” the police statement said.
“At this stage, it’s thought probably more than a month.
“That said, police are working with all involved, including the owner, (Fire & Rescue), engineers and demolishers, to ensure entry can happen as quickly as possible. But the watchwords for the coming weeks must be ‘hasten slowly’.”
Northern Beaches Council has already issued a demolition order on the main building.
Police also said that the last of the embers have been extinguished and Rent A Space now has control of the site.
“With the last of the fire out, progress on demolishing the main building and cleaning the others is expected to be steady,” police said.
The council has told Rent A Space customers that engineers for the company were now preparing a report on the structural integrity of the building and when demolition goes ahead.
Administrators of a Facebook page, set up to support those affected by the fire, has told its followers that they had advised the council that customers want a say in the demolition process.
Customers want an independent inspection of each unit done before the demolition of the main building begins.
Police will prepare a report for the NSW Coroner whose role includes investigating fires.
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