A FALLEN grille from an extraction fan vent is believed to have sparked a multimillion-dollar blaze that destroyed Albury takeaway outlet Hungry Jack’s on Saturday.
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The fast food restaurant was engulfed by fire about 5pm, forcing the evacuation of 100 customers and staff from the Hume Street site.
A FALLEN grille from an extraction fan vent is believed to have sparked a multimillion-dollar blaze that destroyed Albury takeaway outlet Hungry Jack’s on Saturday.
The fast food restaurant was engulfed by fire about 5pm, forcing the evacuation of 100 customers and staff from the Hume Street site.
No one was injured in the blaze, which investigators believe began after the grille fell onto a meat broiler, causing a large flame to erupt and shoot up the air vent.
The fire quickly took hold in the roof.
It took 30 firefighters two hours to get the inferno under control.
The building could not be saved; the damage bill has been put at $3.5 million and the future of the store’s more than 50 employees is uncertain.
Albury Central station officer Simon Huggett said the blaze had been the biggest structural fire in the city since Pascoe Burns Plumbing Supplies burnt down in 2006.
At its peak, flames leapt 3m in the air and a plume of smoke could be seen across the city skyline from Monument Hill.
Mr Huggett said when his team arrived, 90 per cent of the building was on fire.
“I sent an initial crew in to do an internal attack,” he said.
“But they radioed back to me ‘there’s no fire in the building’; there was no fire below the ceiling.
“I had to get them out because ... the roof could have dropped in behind them and they could have been trapped.”
Mr Huggett said the firefighters had instead attacked from outside.
Franchisee Gary West said the fire had been devastating but he had been impressed by the swift response of his staff.
“We sincerely want to praise our restaurant manager, shift managers and team leaders on implementing the fire plan to clear the restaurant of all customers and crew at a busy time of trading,” he said.
“We would also like to recognise the valiant attempts by our professional fire teams from the city stations to save the business.”
Temporary fencing was erected at the site yesterday, while the windows were boarded up pending an inspection by insurance assessors.
There was a minor flare-up in the roof about 8pm but firefighters quickly extinguished it.
“We expect the building and fit-out to be a complete write-off,” Mr West said.
He said Hungry Jack’s, which also has an outlet in Wagga Road, Lavington, would be rebuilt in the city centre.
“Future plans will be finalised once the business owners have consulted with both the building owner and insurers,” Mr West said.
“We remain committed to establishing a HJ store in Albury as quickly as can possibly be undertaken.
“In the meantime, staff from Albury will be utilised, wherever possible, in our Lavington and Wagga restaurants.”
Staff are expected to meet for an update on Wednesday.
