Surry Hills inferno: Schoolchildren ‘ran from blaze’; neighbours moved amid fears of fire building collapse

As residents reel from the massive fireball which erupted in Surry Hills on Thursday, displaced neighbours recount the horror and authorities warn the danger is not past.

Neighbours are displaced, roads are still closed and the continuing danger of the inferno ‘hell’ that erupted near Sydney’s Central Station on Thursday has all on high alert.

Fire chiefs have warned forecast heavy winds could pose a “significant risk” of building collapse at the site of Thursday’s massive inferno that brought part of Sydney to a standstill.

NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry warned the historic building is incredibly dangerous, saying there is a high chance the remaining high walls will fall.

“A strong wind could definitely bring them down. There’s every chance it could fall down without notice, that’s why we have such a big exclusion zone,” Supt Dewberry said.

“In the worst case (scenario) those walls could fall on the adjoining apartments. Not to mention when those bricks hit the ground, they become projectiles.

Danger site … all that remains of the heritage building on Friday. Picture John Grainger

“When they ricochet off the ground they are extremely dangerous. They will kill you,” he said.

A strong south westerly windy is predicted on Friday, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting gusts up to 70km/h, heightening firefighters’ concerns of collapse.

Phu Tang said he saw three children run screaming from the scene. Picture John Grainger

“The wind is a big risk to us. If the strong winds come the right way, it could certainly bring it down,” he said.

As two teens turned themselves in to police over the blaze, a local locksmith said he had seen three schoolchildren run screaming from the smoking Surry Hills building, before it erupted in flames on Thursday afternoon.

‘THEY LOOKED SCARED’

Phu Tang said he was walking along Randall Street around 4pm when he said he saw three to four high school boys, in school uniforms, fleeing the smoking building. “They almost knocked me over,” he said.

Fire takes hold of the empty building. Picture: Neil Bennett

Nearby residents were warned of dangerous conditions at the fire site. Picture John Grainger

“I was on my way to collect my daily Dominos pizza special and the building was already smoking.

“Then I saw three or four high school kids running out screaming and swearing.”

“They looked scared,” he added.

Worryingly, Mr Tang said the high school kids were yelling at a child who was still “inside the building.”

“They were yelling at the child, saying ‘why are you still in there?’

“I just hope the child got out.”

NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry said they currently have no information that can corroborate Mr Tang’s reports.

The only confirmed injury is that of a firefighter who suffered minor burns and was treated by paramedics on scene.

PICKING UP THE PIECES

Meanwhile, locals displaced by the fire recounted what they had seen, and started picking up the pieces as some relocated amid fears of a further collapse.

David Spiller manages the residential building directly across from the fire. While he said he is confident his building is safe, the destruction is unlike anything he has seen before.

NSW Fire Superintendent Adam Dewberry. Picture John Grainger

“If this one little building caused this much damage and inconvenience, you can only imagine what it was like when 9/11 happened. It makes you realise how lucky we are, he said.”

Local shop owners Karen Anderson and Ping Endch lease a fashion store less than 50 metres from the fire.

They said their shop “smells like smoke now.”

“The fire was like a movie. It’s amazing no one was in there,” said Ms Anderson.

Miraculously only one firefighter suffered minor

burns in yesterday’s emergency. Pictures John Grainger

MINNS TRIBUTE

Meanwhile, Premier Chris Minns has paid tribute to the “dedicated and courageous” firefighters who attended yesterday’s fire emergency.

A former firefighter himself, the premier said it was fortunate nobody was inside the building when the fire took hold, and that no pedestrians were injured.

“Fire & Rescue NSW did a really difficult job,” he told reporters on Friday.

“Things can change in the blink of an eye and they have to be ready 24/7.

“Fortunately, for us, they are ready at the drop of a hat to make sure they’re keeping us safe and I think yesterday’s blaze as spectacular as it was, is a reminder of how dedicated and courageous our emergency service workers are.”

Tinadda Soisup is being relocated with her cats. picture John Grainger

Tinadda Soisup was at work when she was alerted to the fire. Unable to do anything, she watched her CCTV camera in horror as the flames raced towards her apartment, where her beloved cats were trapped inside. 

“It was so scary. I was panicking, I just wanted to get to my pets,” she said.

Ms Soisup wasn’t able to get into her apartment until 10:30pm Thursday night, where she collected her pets and belongings.

Local resident Javier Arriaga. Picture: John Grainger

Javier Arriaga was working from home when he looked up and saw flames racing towards his apartment balcony.

The Sydney worker said he heard the evacuation and raced out. Like hundreds of others in the apartment complex, he will spend the night in emergency accommodation, as fireys fearing the building could still collapse.

“I’m a bit worried it could fall. This morning I could still see small spot fires,” he said.

Mr Arriaga said he shocked to hear two 13-year-olds had handed themselves into police.

“It’s pretty crazy that would happen.”

METRO DELAY

The fire has wreaked havoc on the nearby Central Station’s new metro site in Chalmers Street, which was due to open to the public next week, but now could be delayed for months.

A nearby metro worker said the newly constructed site likely won’t open for months now, due to the fire.

“It’s really impacted the site. It’s not good. It’s all happening,” he said.

Torrents of water could be seen pouring down the station’s steps, while the roof of the station appeared to be damaged by falling debris.