Person unaccounted for after Woolloongabba blaze at commercial property
A person remains unaccounted for following a blaze which tore through heritage-listed buildings in Woolloongabba, destroying a wedding venue.
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A person remains unaccounted for after a massive fire broke out in an abandoned shopping complex in Woolloongabba and destroyed three buildings.
Queensland Fire Department Acting Chief Superintendent Steve Bates said the massive blaze started in the abandoned building on Hubert St - a known place where people sleep rough.
The fire broke out about 4.30pm on Wednesday before quickly spreading to a second building which engulfed the city in smoke, and left a person fighting for life.
Superintendent Bates said the fire was accelerated by multiple mattresses inside the abandoned building, causing it to spread to two other structures.
One man ran from the abandoned building with serious burns, but a second person known to sleep rough in the building is unaccounted for.
Fire crews were unable to conduct a full search of the building due to the ferocity of the fire, but will complete the sweep today.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
By 5.30pm police had put an exclusion zone in place and smoke had filled a third building.
Flames spread to warehouse wedding venue Lussh, with firefighters seen working to extinguish them in cranes above the building.
The Lussh is a popular wedding venue in a two-storey, heritage-listed building first built in 1925. The warehouse underwent extensive renovations and was turned into an impressive wedding venue.
It’s owned by Maree Henry, owner of iconic Queensland fashion brand DISSH.
Around 50 firefighters battled the blaze for hours until it was finally brought under control by 9.15pm.
The abandoned building was gutted and caused some of the building to collapse. The second building also suffered serious damage to the roof.
In addition to several buildings, a vehicle parked in a car park behind the rear of The Lussh venue was also destroyed by the inferno.
This morning, police remained on scene at the fire with crime scene tap set up across the damaged businesses.
Lussh posted an update on its social media channels following the fire.
“Well, this sucks,” the post read. “Our hearts go out to our Woolloongabba community and all those affected by the fire that broke out from a neighbouring building earlier today.”
The venue put up a message to customers regarding upcoming events saying “we’ve got you” and “let’s pivot”.
“While this isn’t anything any of us could have ever predicted, our years in the events industry have prepared us to handle just about anything,” it read.
“We have a backup and are busily pulling things together behind the scenes.
“We appreciate your patience and understanding as we prioritise reaching out to events booked in the coming days and weeks.
“Thanks for your understanding during this incredibly difficult time.”
Local business employees Pauline Koegler and Emma Mac Burnie were working across from where the fire began at 31 Degrees Custom Chocolates.
“We were inside but we could see black smoke and firemen everywhere,” Ms Koegler said.
“We were told to cover our nose and mouth by police and firemen because of the dust and toxic smoke. They had masks on.
“The smell was awful and smoke was everywhere.”
Matthew Muscari, who works at the Mix Bar, on the corner of Hubert and Stanley streets, said he was just about to leave work when the blaze started.
“At about 4.20pm I was getting ready to leave when I saw fire trucks all the way up the street,” he said.
“It was immediate chaos. It went from the dead silence of the bar to outside which was just nonstop. There was one guy with a hose going non stop. Outside of never getting the smoke smell out of the furniture, there is some pretty bad water damage through the laneway.
“We don’t know if there is damage inside yet.”
Superintendent Bates said there was a lot of fuel for the fire inside the abandoned building.
“There were a lot of items, apparently a lot of mattresses,” he said.
“Due to the nature of the fire and the speed, at its peak we had 60 firefighters.”
Superintend Bates said the fire quickly spread to neighbouring wedding venue The Lussh and caused the roof to collapse.
It also spread the a building behind the complex. The fire destroyed three buildings in total.
Windows had been blown out and debris was scattered on the footpath at the front of the building.
The roof had collapsed and the internal walls were completely destroyed.
A neighbouring abandoned shopping complex was also extensively damaged.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman confirmed a man had been transported to the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital with life-threatening injuries to his airway.
Police made an emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA).
Gibbon, Stanley, Reid and Hawthorne streets were all closed as part of the declaration.
Members of the public were advised to avoid the area and those within the exclusion zone are asked to remain indoors.
It was later revoked.
Fire crews also had to work to prevent fire from spreading to another neighbouring business by using a water curtain.
Superintendent Bates said someone came forward with information someone known to sleep rough in the building was unaccounted for.
Fire crews will attempt to conduct a full search of the buildings on Thursday.
Crews were also called to a fire at the abandoned building about a month ago.
Electrician Ben Newman was working in a building next door when he smelt smoke.
“I was working next door, just finishing putting in some smoke alarms and I could smell smoke, I had a look outside and I was like ‘oh sh*t I better go’,” he said.
“The building was abandoned and I heard a guy screaming help me, one of the bystanders came and just kicked the window and pulled him out.
“About four fireys came about 5-10 minutes later and the police just told me to leave.”
Witness Kay Smith said she has seen the fire spread to adjoining buildings.
“The fire has took whatever that premises was and has spread into the adjoining buildings,” she said.
“The fire has gone into those buildings, got into the roof, and now it’s going to destroy those buildings.
“It’s very sad.”
Fire fighters stayed on scene overnight and fire investigators will head to the scene on Thursday morning.
Originally published as Person unaccounted for after Woolloongabba blaze at commercial property
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