Witness recounts discovering devastating fire in Esk’s main street on Sunday morning

A neighbour has recounted the moment he realised the Red Deer Cafe was engulfed in flame.

The Red Deer Cafe at Esk was destroyed by fire in the early hours of Sunday morning. 28/03/21

Early on Sunday morning, Esk resident Callan Lewis and his girlfriend began hearing “a few muffled pops” from their property behind the town’s main street.

Unbeknown to them, it was the sound of a devastating fire taking hold inside the weatherboard and timber building that housed the popular Red Deer Cafe.

Then came noises like gunshots, and they saw the flames.

“By then the flames were quite high, and there was a lot of smoke and everything. My girlfriend rang triple-0 but they had already been notified and they were on their way,” Mr Lewis said.

The Red Deer Cafe in Esk burned to the ground overnight. Sunday, 28/03/21. Picture: Callan Lewis Photography.

When firefighters arrived, the building was engulfed in flame.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Service spokeswoman said firefighters received a call around 1.35am on Sunday that the cafe was on fire.

A number of firefighting crews fought to bring the fire under control, and the blaze was kept from spreading to neighbouring buildings.

Fire investigators were due to comb through the remains of the building on Sunday in an attempt to determine the cause of the blaze.

The northbound lane of Esk’s main street was closed for some time.

The owner of the building, Morgan Palliaer, said it was devastating as the cafe was one of the biggest employers in town.

Her Esk Gift Shop business was also housed in the building.

“It was a pretty significant employer in the town,” she said.

The Red Deer Cafe at Esk was destroyed by fire in the early hours of Sunday morning. 28/03/21

“That’s one of the real tragedies here. People are going to be without a job now.”

Ms Palliaer said it was a sad day for the small town and called on the community to dig deep to support the owners of the Red Deer Cafe, who are reeling from the tragedy.

She thanked the local fire brigade and residents who tried to save the building.

News of the fire has been met with shock and sadness from locals and from tourists who enjoyed stopping at the shop on their way through town. Already, people have stepped up to offer support to the cafe’s owners.

New Season’s Church Esk has begun raising money for the cafe.

“Tonight in our town an amazing family business The Red Deer Cafe was devastated by fire,” the church said in a post to social media.

“Insurance will not cover half what they have in losses both personally and in business and so if you would like to financially help out our church is raising funds.”

“All money will go straight to the girls to help get them back on their feet and the doors open.”

A separate GoFundMe has also been set up here: https://bit.ly/2O5EfSE

Bank details:

New Seasons Church

BSB: 633 000

A/N: 169727559

Ref: Red Deer.