Third child comes forward over Surry Hills fire that stopped Sydney

A third child has handed himself in to police over the inferno that stopped Sydney on Thursday, as fresh drone images of the crumbling ruins emerge. SEE THE PICTURES

A 12-year-old boy is the latest person to admit he was inside a derelict Surry Hills building as it went up in flames on Thursday.

Police are now urging anyone with vision from inside the building in the lead-up to the inferno to contact authorities.

The boy came forward to police on Saturday, the day after two 13-year-old boys handed themselves in to Sydney police stations with their parents.

No charges have been laid against any of the boys.

The Sunday Telegraph understands the three boys are all known to each other and had previously visited the abandoned heritage building.

A Fire and Rescue NSW drone captures firefighters hosing down the ruins on Sunday.

Locals say the abandoned high-rise was a well-known haunt for keen skaters, while TikTok video, handed over to investigators, shows teenagers describing it as “a cool place to explore”.

The boys are believed to have headed to the building to skate after school.

The ute trapped in the fire wreckage. Picture: Adam Yip

On Saturday specialist firefighters remained on scene monitoring the walls and reported 70mm of movement on the front wall of the building.

As firefighters continued to put out small fires in the rubble, detectives from the Financial Crimes Squad’s Arson Unit appealed for anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the vicinity of Randle St in the lead up to the blaze to make contact.

Detectives are particularly keen to access vision — CCTV, dashcam, and mobile phone — depicting activity in the street between 2.45pm and 4pm on Thursday.

More than 120 firefighters from Fire and Rescue NSW used specialist appliances and equipment to contain the massive blaze before it engulfed other buildings nearby.

The fire was one of Sydney’s biggest in decades. Picture: Richard Dobson

The heritage building was destroyed in the blaze.

Until the time where firefighters are satisfied the site is safe, the exclusion zone will remain in place, which includes two residential buildings — 1-5 Randle St and 38 Chalmers St.

“At least 100 people have registered as being displaced and many have been provided alternate accommodation through Welfare Services, while others have made their own arrangements,” a police spokeswoman said.

Police and firefighters provided accompanied access to the buildings on Sunday, allowing residents to collect valuables — including pets — and other belongings.

Randle St and multiple lanes of Elizabeth St remained closed off on Sunday. Picture: Damian Shaw

Fire and Rescue NSW crews work at the scene. Picture: Adam Yip

Nearby residential blocks have been evacuated. Picture: Adam Yip

“Due to the ongoing safety concerns, a timeline for their return home is not yet available. Welfare Services will continue to communicate with displaced residents directly to keep them informed.”

Engineers and experts from NSW Public Works are continuing to conduct assessments and are in the process of engaging contractors to develop safe demolition plans, to ensure they can be enacted as soon as possible after the fire scene is declared safe.

The wreckage on Sunday. Picture: Adam Yip

Firefighting work from above on Sunday. Picture: Adam Yip

Acting Fire and Rescue zone commander Grant Rice said that while firefighters have controlled the scene, the building remains incredibly unstable, with workers relying on drone technology and cranes to access spot fires.

He said the walls look like they will collapse in on themselves, rather than outwards towards the street.

The fire was visible across the city. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

The gutted building in Surry Hills. Police are investigating the cause of the blaze. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

“That is a positive, but we are monitoring it closely … we had one wall move 7.5cm inward overnight,” he said.

“We’re just keeping an eye on that at the moment and obviously with restricted access so it keeps everyone away and in a safe area.

“It’s not a quick movement and that’s why we’ve got our detector equipment here at the moment. It gives us a bit of a warning.”

Police are appealing for any vision from the building in the lead-up to the fire to be uploaded online via Crime Stoppers at https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.

Business owners or managers whose property is within the exclusion zone and believe they have CCTV should contact Surry Hills Police Station.

An Emergency Operations Centre has been stood up to co-ordinate safe demolition of the damaged buildings.

Fire and Rescue NSW released drone footage taken from above two destroyed buildings, revealing melted interiors and piles of rubble within the partially collapsed walls of the structure.

Whole floors have caved in to leave a cavity inside the empty shell of a building, while exploded windows and piles of brick were left behind.

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