As Thick As Thieves cafe goes up in flames in central Albury
Police on scene after cafe blaze in central Albury
UPDATE:
THE owners of Dean Street cafe As Thick as Thieves are facing extensive repairs after a fire at the building.
About 25 firefighters were called to the premises about 9.20pm on Thursday.
The fire appeared to have started at the rear of the business, near the kitchen.
The fire was contained to the cafe before it could spread to Anthony's Shoe Repairs and Eastend Hair Studio, which are part of the same building.
Esplana Bridal also adjoins the cafe.
Barista Luke Smyth said the business was going to celebrate a year in business next week, having taken over the former Electra Cafe site.
Speaking on behalf of owners Hanna and Sam Kadi, Mr Smyth said the future of the business remained unclear at this stage.
"We will have to assess the damage and see where we go from there," he said.
"Obviously we're a bit disheartened about everything.
"We're grateful it was controlled - we're really thankful for the work of the emergency services.
"It could have gotten quite out of control.
"I think the worst damage is to the roof."
NSW Fire and Rescue superintendent Stewart Alexander said the fire may have started in the kitchen, but the exact cause was being investigated.
"It had very really potential to spread to adjoining properties so it was good work by the fireys," he said.
All of Albury's brigades attended, with support from Culcairn and Corowa.
Mr Smyth said the support from surrounding businesses had been "phenomenal" following the incident.
"We're really grateful for that," he said.
"We'll have to start from scratch again, one year (after opening).
"Hopefully it all comes back, the sooner the better, and we'll be stronger than we were before."
The owners attended the incident on Thursday night and returned in the morning.
Anthony's Shoe Repairs owner Anythony Metry said his business had sustained some water damage.
"I was worried the fire would go across the roof," he said.
"But they got in really quickly and contained it."
Mr Metry said he was concerned some of his stock may have been damaged.
Electricity was cut to the businesses after the incident.
Police attended the property and undertook forensic examinations on Friday morning.
UPDATE:
Police have begun examining the Thick as Thieves building following last night's fire.
The property, was caught alight about 9.30pm, was extensively damaged by the blaze.
Most of the damage appears to be confined the rear of the building and an air-conditioning unit on the roof has been burnt out.
A forensic officer began examining the cafe about 7.30am this morning.
The incident also caused minor damage to adjoining buildings.
Anthony's Shoe Repairs owner Anthony Metry said the rear of his building had water damage but appeared to have avoided major damage.
Electricity has been cut to the precinct, which also includes Eastend Hair Studio.
The buildings are next to Esplana Bridal on Macauley Street.
The owners of Thick as Thieves attended the scene last night.
The cause of the fire is unclear.
The scene on Friday morning
EARLIER
A CAFE blaze in central Albury has shocked shoppers and diners on Thursday night.
As Thick As Thieves, on the corner of Dean and Macauley streets, went up in flames about 9.30pm.
The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen.
Witnesses described seeing smoke from the street and flames were visible from the roof.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"We'd locked up and left and thought someone had done a wheelie or something because there was smoke on the street," Dan Frei from nearby Taco Bill said.
Fire Rescue NSW were on the scene, with the fire posing a threat to another three or four businesses in the area.
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