Around 40 firefighters are battling a massive blaze that has torn through an inner Sydney apartment block.
The incident occurred on the corner of Abercrombie and Ivy Streets in Darlington, where Fire and Rescue NSW received multiple calls about the blaze around 8:05am.
Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The New South Wales Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:
Superintendent Adam Dewberry confirmed that 10 firetrucks and over 30 firefighters were at the scene, successfully containing the fire but now working to safeguard the structure.
“It’s unsafe, we’ve got concerns with walls collapsing, and the roof has already collapsed. So that’s why we’ve got the ladder trucks up over the top working to contain this fire,” Dewberry said.
Dewberry said an exclusion zone was established due to concerns about wall integrity.
“Our biggest concern at the moment is the safety of our firefighters. This has got what we call a parapet wall; that’s where the brick wall stands above the roof line, and they come down with deadly force.”
While a thorough search has been conducted, it’s unlikely that anyone remains inside the building.
Dewberry said the fire had been mostly contained, and there was no risk of it spreading to other apartments.
Bobby’s Cafe, located on the ground floor of the affected building, was evacuated promptly upon news of the fire.
Manager Ying Tan told The Sydney Morning Herald that the situation would be under control, as the cafe is on the lower level, far from the blaze.
“Someone came in and told us there was a fire in the building, and so we all rushed out,” she said.
“I didn’t bring anything. I only brought my phone that’s it.”
Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on Listnr today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.