QUICK-thinking staff have saved a North Albury bus company from exploding, after a fire broke out on Saturday.
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![CLOSE CALL: Fire crews have praised the work of employees from Martin's Albury who removed highly flammable gas cylinders from a shed fire. Picture: MARK JESSER CLOSE CALL: Fire crews have praised the work of employees from Martin's Albury who removed highly flammable gas cylinders from a shed fire. Picture: MARK JESSER](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/qr544hYuCqYV9UFz5jEtcz/0ddd19c4-24eb-4731-9657-908ac0addd75.jpg/r219_0_2274_2740_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Solar panels on a shed roof at the Martin's Albury bus terminal caught alight about 8.30am from what was believed to have been an electrical malfunction.
Beneath the flames sat canisters of a highly flammable gas made up of acetylene and oxygen..
NSW Fire Rescue Zone duty commander Inspector Stewart Alexander praised the efforts of employees, who removed the cylinders from the Fallon Street building.
“It was good work and quick thinking by employees there who removed a bus and more importantly the oxy-acetylene cylinders from the shed,” he said.
“That would have flattened the building if it had have exploded.
“It is a very, very flammable gas.
“The actions of the employees were excellent.
“If it had have happened in the middle of the night, it could have been a very different outcome.”
Tankers from Albury Central and Albury Civic fire brigades responded to several triple-0 calls reporting the incident.
When firefighters arrived on scene, thick black smoke and flames were coming from the tin roof.
Initially the building was thought to have been well alight, but closer inspection revealed the flames were largely contained to the roof and ceiling.
Inspector Alexander said they were able to quickly extinguish the blaze.
“The fire had extended along the ceiling inside the tin shed which had a bit of insulation in the roof,” he said.
“But apart from the roof, there was minimal damage.
“An electrician was called in so was Essential Energy so the solar panels could be deactivated.”
Albury firefighters attended another solar panel malfunction on Wyse Street before midday on Sunday.
While the two incidents were put down to electrical faults, Inspector Alexander said it was a good reminder about solar panel safety.
“People should make sure they get their solar panels checked as per the manufacturer's recommendations,” he said.
“They produce a direct current of electricity and can be very dangerous, so it is important to have a qualified person look at it.
“If you have a fault or a fire, ring triple-0 immediately.”