Kulangoor Soquilichi Rescue Ranch Op Shop destroyed by fire

The distressed owner of a Sunshine Coast op shop which supports rescue animals has described the moment she was woken at 4am by her crying and distraught shop manager to learn the “devastating” impact of a ferocious fire.

Fire destroys Kulangoor op shop on Saturday, January 27, 2024.

The distressed owner of a Sunshine Coast op shop which supports rescue animals has described the moment she was woken up at 4am by her crying and distraught shop manager.

“Miranda, come quick, the op shop is burning down,” is what Sunshine Coast op shop owner Miranda Wells woke up to at 4am on Saturday, January 27.

“I woke to Maree the shop manager at my door crying and distraught … my worst nightmare … it was a raging inferno,” she said.

“By the time we got there, it was destroyed. Burnt to the ground.

“So many hours had gone into this. To make it great, another source of income for our beloved animals.

“Gone. In the blink of the eye. So sad. Over the long weekend. We are not sure how it has happened. Definitely not arson … too sad for words.”

Police confirmed a fire tore through a Sunshine Coast op shop in the early hours of Saturday morning, destroying stock used to support rescued animals.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman said emergency services were called to the property on Rutherford Rd, Kulangoor shortly after 3am, Saturday, January 27, and found the building completely engulfed in flames.

The store, Soquilichi Rescue Ranch Op Shop, was unoccupied at the time of the blaze.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency spokeswoman said three crews battled the blaze.

A fire service spokesman said on Monday, January 29, they were unable to determine the cause of the fire because of the extent of the damage. It was however ruled as non-suspicious.

Fire destroys Kulangoor op shop on Saturday January 27, 2024.

Store manager, Maree Buttery, said she’d hardly stopped crying since the fire.

“Have hardly had anything to eat,” she said.

“Breaking down and feeling sick.”

Ms Wells said the store was full of items and stock used for the op shop business as well as products used to care for the animal rescued by the Soquilichi Rescue Ranch.

“We had everything from furniture, to sales equipment, used stock, old stock, tills to the racks, it is all just ash now,” she said.

“The op shop heroes poured so many hours into it. It was another source of income for our charity. Especially when our traditional fundraising disappeared. It’s now gone. So many books, so many memories, so many hours of hard work.

“So sad for words. My first reaction was what about the animals. The lost income. All those contents that we cannot sell and the recovery time to get it back in shape so indeed we can sell again.

“My heart breaks. Vet bills due and we were due for a big sale from the op shop.”

Ms Wells said they were looking to rebuild the op shop as soon as possible to support the animal rescues, ideally remaining locally to continue to service the Sunshine Coast areas.

“We are definitely looking for another location locally, it would save us having to leave the coast, you can always start again,” she said.

They have also started a fundraiser to help.

“We need to raise $5,000 to replace everything and be able to get back on our feet and start selling again,” Ms Wells said.

You can donate here.

Originally published as Kulangoor Soquilichi Rescue Ranch Op Shop destroyed by fire