Khaled Al Janaby pleads not guilty after Granville fire on March 12

A man who allegedly lit a fire that destroyed a former western Sydney fire station has pleaded not guilty to a string of charges. Read the latest.

Scores of firefighters battled the blaze at Granville. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

A man accused of lighting a ferocious fire that raged through the historic former Granville fire station was on bail for other alleged offences when he was arrested over the inferno.

Khaled Al Janaby, 42, was charged with intentionally or recklessly damaging property by fire/explosive after the blaze broke out in the double-storey property on Good St near Parramatta Rd on March 12 about 4.45am.

At Parramatta Local Court on Thursday, the Merrylands man entered pleas of not guilty to the offence.

He was on bail after he allegedly assaulted a man, damaged a police car, carried a knife at Sheffield St, Merrylands, and destroyed plants at Merrylands RSL Club on March 2 shortly after 10am.

He was charged with intentionally or recklessly destroy/damage property, custody of a knife in a public place, common assault and intentionally or recklessly destroying/damaging property.

He was granted bail but placed into custody after he allegedly failed to attend Parramatta Local Court on March 5.

The inferno took an hour to extinguish. Picture: NSW Fire and Rescue

At court last week, he entered not guilty pleas to all his charges, including the fire of the fire station and council bins on the site.

He is due to apply for bail on Wednesday.

More than 50 firefighters rushed to battle the fire in the derelict building where they prevented flames as high as 10m from spreading to vacant shops next door.

Signs of structural collapse on at least two sides of the building prevented firefighters from entering the premises.

Instead, they used aerial platforms to reach over the roof to pour water on the seat of the fire and regularly assessed the threat using drones.

It took an hour to gain control of the blaze.