Urgent health alert removed after blaze wreaked havoc at western Sydney laundromat

Investigators will be forced to wait to enter a Parramatta laundromat to determine what caused a blaze that ripped through the building and took firefighters almost 12 hours to extinguish.

Structural engineers will need to assess a Parramatta laundromat gutted by fire before investigators can go inside and determine what caused the dramatic blaze, which took almost 12 hours to extinguish.

More than 100 firefighters in 30 trucks raced to Dunlop St in North Parramatta about 1.10am on Tuesday as the fire raged, with flames visible in the sky and smoke surrounding the area.

Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry said police had established a crime scene but it was not yet clear if the fire was suspicious, with structural engineers set to inspect the building on Wednesday before investigators are given the all-clear to enter.

One crew of firefighters remained at the scene on Tuesday afternoon to monitor what Supt Dewberry described as a “slight chance” of reignition.

Fire and Rescue NSW crews on the scene early Tuesday morning.

Earlier in the day, Supt Dewberry said “firefighters could see a glow and a thick column of smoke in the area”.

“(It took) over three hours to control the fire, which did significant damage to the laundry building, with walls and the roof collapsing,” he said.

More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze.

A firefighter outside the North Parramatta laundromat. Picture: NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

More than 100 firefighters responded to the huge fire. Picture: NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

Health alerts were issued after the blaze was brought under control.

Nearby residents were initially warned to stay inside and close their windows and doors because of the smoke, but Supt Dewberry said the health alert had been lifted on Tuesday afternoon.

The fire had threatened to spread into a nearby veterinary surgery, which was evacuated, but the on-duty nurse and three animals were able to re-enter the building unharmed.

No injuries were reported.

Originally published as Urgent health alert removed after blaze wreaked havoc at western Sydney laundromat