Fire tears through old Junee hospital building, drawing huge emergency response

Emergency services were called to Button Avenue in Junee around 5.30am, responding to reports of a hostel on fire.

When they arrived, they discovered the 50m by 50m main ex-hospital building was fully involved in fire, a spokesperson for Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) confirmed.

At least five people are understood to have escaped the building unharmed.

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Six FRNSW crews from across the Riverina were being supported by at least 10 teams from the Rural Fire service.

FRNSW's Turvey Park captain Steven Beck said 28 firefighters from Junee, Wagga, Temora and Narrandera were joined by at least another 30 volunteers from the RFS at the scene.

The call came in at 5.30am and it took firefighters two-and-a-half hours to contain the flames in the large single-level building.

"The structure has been extensively damaged, we have got control of the fire and just working towards fully extinguishing it at this time," Captain Beck said.

The fire was primarily in the roof, which has collapsed, he said, and the nature of the building's structure and location of the fire has made it difficult to attack.

Paramedics are also on scene, however there has been no reports of injuries.