Cairns workshop owner devastated about damages from blaze
UPDATE: The owner of the business destroyed in a massive building fire on Sheridan St at Cairns North, said he’s very upset but relieved no one was injured. SEE THE NEW PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
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UPDATE, 12.25PM: Cairns Airport Manager of Aviation Business Development, David Nye said smoke from the Cairns North fire had not impacted on any flights in or out of the city today.
Mr Nye said some travellers may have had a slightly longer journey due to traffic delays, however, he was not aware of anyone missing their flight.
“Our main scheduled (flights) don’t kick off until 6am,” he said.
“So while some people were delayed getting to the airport, there were no flight delays or issues from the smoke.”
UPDATE, 9.15AM: The owner of Croft Auto, destroyed in a fire earlier today said while he was devastated about the damage, he was relieved that no one was inside when the fire occurred.
Cairns businessman Graeme Croft said he received a call at 4.30am on Tuesday about the incident
“At 4.30am this morning, I got a call to say it looks like your workshop’s on fire,” Mr Croft said.
“I jumped out of bed and raced down and when I got here it was pretty much well ablaze by then.
“There were lots of fire crews here, it was pretty much ablaze by then.”
Mr Croft said the workshop contained a lot of “flammable stuff.”
“We had lots of oil drums, tanks, and gas cylinders,” he said.
“And lots of cars were in there including our work vehicles so there’s a lot of stuff is gone.”
Mr Croft said he appreciated the work the emergency services had done in containing the fire.
“I’m pretty upset,” he said.
“I am waiting to get inside and see exactly what we have lost.”
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Acting Inspector Andrew Beck said initially crews entered the building to try and extinguish the blaze.
“Our crews arrived here this morning to find the fire well involved and threatening the northern side,” he said.
“Initially we had crews wearing BA internally but we had to withdraw them due to the intensity of the fire.”
Acting Inspector Beck said he expected to be on scene for a few more hours while firefighters ensure the blaze was out and the site declared safe.
“We still have a lot of dampening down of hot spot and there’s the possibility of building collapse.”
He said QFES had six fire and rescue trucks with around 22 personnel.
“Aviation Fire and Rescue also attended,” he said.
“QFES fire investigators will be investigating as Queensland Police.”
An Airservices Australia spokesmans said Airservices Australia’s Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service was proud to support the QFES in attending a significant structural building fire at Sheridan St, Cairns.
“Three of the Cairns ARFFS team, along with one of their specialist aviation fire fighting vehicles, were involved in fire fighting efforts,” he said.
Earlier Queensland Police Acting Senior Sergeant Simon Laverty said around 4.45pm police and firefighters attended the incident.
He said it was too early to tell what caused the fire.
UPDATE, 7.55AM: Police are now advising that both southbound lanes of Sheridan St are now open.
Northbound traffic on Sheridan Street remains reduced to one lane.
Those wishing to get to the airport should use Lake Street to access Airport Ave, with police advising to in early to avoid traffic congestion.
Several thousand Ergon customers are currently without power due to the fire at a workshop on Sheridan Street.
Motorists heading to the CBD from the north were earlier advised their only access would be via Caravonica and Western Arterial Road.
Delays are expected on both routes as traffic flow increases.
EARLIER, 7.15AM: EMERGENCY services have extinguished a major building fire which destroyed a workshop on Sheridan St at Cairns North, with the closure of the major arterial road causing traffic chaos on Cairns roads.
One lane of southbound traffic on Sheridan St has reopened following the closure near Airport Ave, after motorists travelling from the north to the city were earlier advised to commute via Caravonica and Western Arterial Road.
Traffic is now slowly crawling along Sheridan St with a diversion in place through Airport Ave.
The northbound lane at 7.15am, was still closed.
Traffic heading north on Sheridan St is being diverted onto Collins Ave, but motorists can now access Airport Ave off Sheridan St.
The delays and detours have thrown Cairns’ traffic network into chaos, as thousands of motorists seek to avoid the major thoroughfare of Sheridan Street and use alternate routes.
However police are still recommending anyone travelling to the airport use Lake St instead.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service acting inspector Andrew Beck said there were no reports of injuries, but 22 crew members with six appliances including the aviation fire fighting crew had extinguished the fire.
“We’re unsure of the cause of the fire, but the building was well involved and the fire had started to spread to the adjoining building on the northern end of the complex,” he said.
“The building that was involved, it looks like the workshop is completely destroyed. We’ve managed to save the adjoining building.”
Acting Inspector Beck said there was always a risk of serious fires with industrial buildings and in this instance, batteries, waste oils and LPG cylinders did pose a threat, but were isolated early.
He said a fire service investigator would liaise with police on Tuesday to inspect the incident.
Acting Inspector Beck acknowledged the excellent work of his fire crews in difficult conditions, as well as the support of other agencies who assisted in controlling the blaze and shutting down the road.
EARLIER 6AM: LONG delays are to be expected for motorists travelling into the city or towards the airport as a major building fire shuts down one of Cairns’ busiest roads.
Emergency services including police and fire fighters were called to a building fire on the corner of Sheridan St and Airport Ave about 3.45am, Tuesday.
As a result, Sheridan St is closed in both directions at the intersection, as well as Airport Ave.
Anyone travelling to and from Cairns Airport is advised to access Airport Ave via Lake St, with the closure expected to be in place beyond 9am.
A Queensland Police spokesman said at 6am, police had no further details of the fire, which was under control, but not out, and said officers would be focusing on controlling what was set to be “traffic chaos”.
“You’ve got 30,000-odd people coming in from those northern beaches this morning for school and work and whatnot, they’re going to be using an alternative route and it’s just going to be traffic chaos,” he said.
It means residents from north of city heading toward the CBD will need to go via Caravonica and the Western Arterial Road.
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