Businesses still closed after Darwin CBD building engulfed in fire near Cavenagh and Knuckey streets corner
Several businesses affected by a major Darwin CBD fire remain closed while investigations continue.
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SEVERAL businesses affected by a major Darwin CBD fire remain closed while investigations continue.
A building near the intersection of Cavenagh and Knuckey streets was engulfed in flames early on Sunday morning.
Acrid smoke swept over the city throughout the morning.
Businesses located within the large building have had to be closed while investigators continue to look into the blaze and its cause
The NT News understands businesses such as Industrie Hair may not be able to reopen until next week as investigations continue.
An empty lot — that used to be RSL Darwin before a devastating fire tore through it four years ago — sits unused next to the devastated building.
The fire gutted the RSL building in the early hours of the morning of June 24, 2018.
Fireys were able to prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildingsat the time.
Businesses temporarily closed due to fire damage
BUSINESSES impacted by a fire in Darwin’s CBD have temporarily closed their doors until firefighters assess the damage.
The building near the intersection of Cavenagh St and Knuckey St was engulfed in fire on Sunday morning, with acrid smoke sweeping over the city.
The building houses ACET Migration, The Editor Darwin and Industrie Hair.
All have temporarily closed their doors while the building is assessed for damaged.
“Our Darwin office will be closed for few days due to a fire (that) occurred upstairs our office in Cavenagh St,” ACET Migration Services wrote on social media.
“Fortunately there is no damage to our office however the entire building is required to be checked for safety by authorities.”
Industrie Hair also published a statement on social media.
“In light of recent events Industrie Hair will be closed until the firefighters come in and access the damage,” the post said.
“Sorry if you have an appointment and we haven’t contacted you as the computer is in the salon and we haven’t had access inside yet.
“Hopefully it won’t take too long.”
NT Fire and Rescue Services Assistant Fire Chief Joshua Fischer said there hadn’t been an increase of structure fires.
“We’re at this point in time is that there’s been 63 structure fires year to date for 2022,” he said.
“Compared to 82 this time last year, the total of 2021 was 148 structure fires that occurred.
“We’ve seen a number of fires lately, that have unfortunately either burned significant portions of buildings or the entire building.
“There have been some accidental structure fires that have occurred, likely caused by incense and other things that have been left burning, and then have caught other items on fire.
“We haven’t seen an increase in structure fires occurring.
“It’s likely that we’ve seen structure fires that have unfortunately resulted in greater damage.”
The CBD fire is the third structure fire in Darwin this month.
On June 9, police were investigating the circumstances around a devastating Woolner fire that tore through Carcom Installations and surrounding businesses.
A Moil property was engulfed in flames last week, with fire investigators saying the building was “uninhabitable”.
Police are still investigating the fire, with nothing being ruled out at this time.
Darwin CBD building extensively damaged in major fire
ACRID smoke swept over Darwin CBD on Sunday morning as a building was engulfed in flames in the early hours.
Emergency services received multiple reports of a building on fire about 6.30am on Sunday morning at the intersection of Cavenagh St and Knuckey St.
A fire engulfed a building that hosts different business including ACET Migration, BRG Production and Industrie Hair.
Fireys at the scene were able to quickly extinguish the blaze in the unoccupied building, which has been extensively damaged.
Territory Duty Superintendent Meghan Funnell said surrounding roads were blocked off while all services responded to the fire.
“Roads in the immediate vicinity were closed while crews responded to the fire, which appears to have originated in a business on the first floor of a two-storey building.”
Les Richardson, 61, said he smelt smoke in the city after leaving Woolworths about 6.40am.
“It was thick, it was really thick smoke,” he said.
“I tried to drive back to my hotel but I couldn’t get there. I had to go around because they had everything closed.
“The fire smelt like more of a furniture smell, like foam.
“I never saw any flames but it looks like the building had a bit of damage.”
No injuries were reported.
NT Police and NT Fire and Rescue Services are investigating the cause of the structure fire.
Knuckey St and Cavenagh St have been reopened but Austin Lane remains closed as investigations continue.
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