Newcastle: Police dog search of Hunter Street CBD hotel finds no bodies
Specialist cadaver dogs were restricted to searching only a section of the Hunter Street hotel because of fears regarding the structure’s integrity — a job made even harder because the roof and several floors have already collapsed onto each other.
Newcastle
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Cadaver dogs have failed to find any sign of bodies within the ruins of the former CBD Hotel as investigators pinpoint the source of Sunday’s fire to the back of the pub.
The specialist dogs were restricted to searching only a section of the Hunter Street hotel because of fears regarding the structure’s integrity — a job made even harder because the roof and several floors have already collapsed onto each other.
However, the sweep has alleviated fears that up to four people were trapped inside the hotel when it exploded into flames on Sunday afternoon.
The Hunter Street facade, which continues to teeter, will have to be demolished before the rest of the hotel is searched.
Strike Force Vickery detectives are now focusing on how the fire started, with preliminary results pointing to an area where the kitchen was situation near the King Street entrance.
Witnesses have told police they heard several men arguing before they entered the building about 5pm.
An explosion rocked the area a few minutes later.
Power had been cut to the hotel for several months, and neighbours have spoken about a growing number of squatters and “junkies” living inside the pub.
Although there had not been any fresh missing persons reports filed, investigators were concerned that up to four people had re-entered the pub and not escaped.
Fire crews spent more than 12 hours fighting the fire. Two firefighters were injured.