Massive fire breaks out at warehouse in Auburn in Sydney ...
By Paulina Vidal
16 hours agoMon 11 Nov 2024 at 9:35am
The blaze started just before 6pm at a smash repair shop on Stubbs Street and Parramatta Road, Auburn. (ABC News)
A massive fire broke out at a smash repair shop in Auburn just before 6pm on Monday.
Two people who suffered burns and smoke inhalation were taken to hospital.
By 10pm, the blaze had been contained but Parramatta Road remained closed in both directions.
An exclusion zone was declared after a massive fire broke out at a warehouse in Sydney's west on Monday evening, with local residents urged to find alternative accommodation.
The blaze started just before 6pm at a smash repair shop on Stubbs Street and Parramatta Road, Auburn, and took hold rapidly, according to Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW).
"This is an extremely intense blaze ... the fire is threatening to spread to adjoining properties which is a timber flooring warehouse and a service station on the other side," Superintendent Adam Dewberry said.
The area was covered in thick, black smoke as emergency services work to contain the flames through the evening.
The area was soon covered in thick, black smoke. (ABC News)
Initially more than 20 firefighters attended the scene but those numbers soon increased to 100 just before 8pm, with more than 20 fire trucks also on site along with NSW Police, ambulance crews and hazardous material experts.
Two people from the burning building suffered burns and smoke inhalation and were taken to hospital.
By 10pm, local time, residents were able to return home after NSW Police set up an exclusion zone.
They were earlier told to make themselves known to officers and that an assembly area had been set up at Dooleys Catholic Club, Lidcombe.
The fire, which took a few hours to contain smouldered overnight, with crews on stand-by.
"We will wait for the clear light of day if it continues to smoulder so we can make an assessment on the integrity of the building to determine the best way to get in," Superintendent Dewberry said on Monday night.
"We will also start having a look at how this fire actually started, that's something that our export fire investigators will work with New South Wales Police with."
In a "remarkable effort" by fire fighters, both the petrol station and the timber floor warehouse were saved.
Parramatta Road was closed in both directions between St Hilliers Road/Silverwater Road and Rawson Street at Auburn for more than five hours after the blaze started.
Motorists were being diverted to St Hilliers Road and Rawson Street or the M4 instead, and told to allow for extra travel time.
"There may be smoke in the area, just advising people to stay out of the smoke and keep doors, windows and vents closed," Superintendent Dewberry said.
