Blaze engulfs prestigious Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in

Fire crews have rushed to battle a blaze that engulfed prestigious Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club just weeks after an external review was launched over a $2.5m loss in revenue.

Smoke fills the air near Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. Picture: 9News

The prestigious Kooyong Tennis Club has gone up in flames just weeks after an external review was launched over a $2.5m loss in revenue.

Emergency services were called about 12.30pm on Monday as heavy smoke billowed from the Glenferrie Rd building.

It’s understood staff and members were evacuated from the exclusive club.

A Fire Rescue Victoria spokeswoman said the blaze was caused by an airconditioner.

“Firefighters arrived within six minutes to find black smoke issuing from the roof after an air conditioning unit had caught fire,” she said.

“The crew worked to extinguish the fire and the scene was declared under control at 12.23pm.”

Victoria Police said the blaze was not suspicious.

Fire crews tackle the blaze at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. Picture: 9News

The fire broke out just weeks before the annual Kooyong Classic takes place.

Starting from January 10, the tournament is the premier lead-up event to the Australian Open grand slam, with organisers currently working in pre-production.

Founded in 1892, the club is known as the “spiritual home of tennis” and considered one of the world’s elite tennis clubs.

Members include former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg and tennis greats Paul McNamee and Lleyton Hewitt.

The club was home to the Australian Open before it moved to the Rod Laver arena in 1988 and has hosted several Davis Cup ties and finals.

Members on Monday afternoon told the Herald Sun they had not yet been informed as to what the circumstances around the fire was.

In a statement, club president Adam Cossar said the building reopened after an inspection was completed.

“Shortly after noon on Monday the club’s fire alarm system was activated when fire broke out in an evaporative cooling unit on the roof of the building,” he said.

“Our staff responded quickly and carried out an emergency evacuation.

“The firefighters carried out a full site inspection before allowing people to safely re-enter the building.

“We commend the staff on their quick action to safely evacuate everyone and the firefighters on controlling the fire in a matter of minutes.”

Kooyong Tennis Club members claim they were being kept in the dark after millions of dollars went missing. Picture: Mark Stewart

There has been growing angst among members at the historic club of late, with accounting giant Grant Thornton called in to investigate a $2.5m loss from its dining and functions operations.

It comes after the Herald Sun revealed in October that members claimed they were being kept in the dark after millions of dollars went missing.

Club president Adam Cossar later insisted that no funds had been “misappropriated”.

Several staff have resigned from the prestigious gated club since the Herald Sun revealed that an external review was underway in November.

Mr Cossar issued a warning to members against making “inappropriate comments” to staff about the ongoing financial issues.

Several members had contacted the Herald Sun concerned by what they say is a lack of transparency from the committee and board about the missing millions.

Members were on Monday sending private messages to each other, joking about the fire, saying the club was “burning the evidence”, wise cracking about “cooking the books”.