Two injured as fire engulfs crash repair shop in Brisbane
Two people have been hospitalised, one with a broken arm, after a fire broke out in a workshop in Brisbane's south.
The blaze sparked just before 5am today, engulfing crash repair business Cambridge Collision Centre and spreading to a takeaway shop on Cambridge Street in Coorparoo.
Flames as high as 10 metres were seen streaming from the building and explosions could be heard across the suburb, sending witnesses ducking for cover.
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The fire broke out in Coorparoo, Brisbane, just before 5am. 9News
By the time fire crews arrived the shop front was bursting at the seams with fire and smoke and owner Tony Savva could only watch as his business was destroyed.
He believes the fire started in a spray booth after a worker clocked in early this morning. He called another employee for backup, who tried to help douse the flames.
"He got up, climbed the roof, up a ladder to the roof of the spray booth, had a go of putting it out … fell off the ladder," he told 9News.
"So I know he's got a broken arm, but everyone got out."
Owner Tony Savva said the damage bill could reach $1 million. 9News
The building has been completely gutted and the fire spread to a nearby takeaway shop. 9News
Crews managed to tame the blaze before it damaged the takeaway shop next door too badly but toxic smoke spewing from the repair shop closed surrounding roads.
The roof of the building has caved in, the structure is unstable and firefighters are still tackling hot spots from above.
"And we also have some concerns about high voltage power lines that were damaged from the fire," one of the firefighters said.
Fire crews are still working to extinguish hot spots from above. 9News
The smash repair shop had been in operation since 1974, and Savva estimated the damage bill could top $1 million.
"Oh yeah, it's quite devastating," he said.
The blaze is not being treated as suspicious at this stage of the investigation.
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