Fire breaks out under Cunningham Pier in Geelong
Fire crews have extinguished a blaze that broke out under Cunningham Pier in Geelong this morning after smoke was spotted by concerned members of the public.
Firefighters have contained a blaze beneath Cunningham Pier for the second time in months, arriving to find beams and pylons on fire on Monday morning.
A Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) spokeswoman said firefighters responded to the incident about 9am after callers to triple-0 reported smoke issuing from underneath the pier.
“Firefighters arrived on scene within five minutes to find several beams and pylons underneath the pier on fire,” she said.
“Crews quickly suppressed the blaze with the incident deemed Under Control by 9.14am.
“Firefighters will remain on scene for some time to ensure the scene is safe.”
On July 14, a cable heist at Cunningham Pier caused a major explosion on the underside of the structure that risked destroying the well-known landmark.
It’s believed a high voltage cable was cut from underneath a vacant building at the end of the pier, causing an electrical fire.
More than 30 firefighting vehicles, with a specialist fireboat, took more than two and a half hours to bring the blaze under control.
The dangerous and ambitious incident was the latest in a string of copper wire thefts across Geelong causing problems for businesses, power companies, law enforcement and residents.
Powercor’s Group Manager of Protective Security, Michael Hayes, said it was “complete dumb luck” that somebody wasn’t seriously injured or killed.
Pier owner Costa Property Group chief executive Carl Schokman confirmed his company, which owns the waterfront property, had been left angered by massive repair costs and sporadic power cuts as a result.
“All this because someone has tried to steal about $1000 in copper,” he said.
The landmark building at the end of the pier has been empty since December last year, when restaurants The Pier Geelong, Wah Wah Gee and Wah Bar closed their doors.
In October, it was reported that Costa Property Group, along with the Gurner Group, is planning put Geelong on the world stage by “drawing inspiration from Sydney Harbour’s luxury waterfront residences through to Dubai’s sculptural pier-edge towers”.
The proposal includes a six-star hotel, high-end residential offerings, restaurants, bars, public spaces and cultural venues, while the potential for cruise ship port facilities was also flagged.
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Originally published as Fire breaks out under Cunningham Pier in Geelong
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