HAPPENING NOW: Firefighters have withdrawn from parts of a grain silo facility at Cardiff after a fire spread through the building, with temperatures of up to 300 degrees Celsius recorded in vertical ductwork leading to the basement.
Fire and Rescue NSW was called to the facility on Nelson Road shortly after 10am on Saturday, 17 October, following an automatic fire alarm. Crews found a fire in a motor on level three. One employee was initially reported to be on site.
The incident was quickly escalated to a second alarm, bringing additional firefighters from Wallsend and prompting a ladder truck to be requested from Newcastle.
Crews also called on Ausgrid to isolate the electricity supply after they were unable to access the power shut-off.
By 11.14am, firefighters reported that they had cooled the affected area and stopped the fire from spreading.
That progress was later reversed, high temperatures were detected in vertical ductwork running down to the basement, where firefighters also found signs that heat was building.
With conditions inside the structure becoming more difficult to assess, crews withdrew to reconsider their approach.
The response is expected to continue for some time, and additional resources were requested to cover stations involved in the operation. Crews from Wangi were among those called to assist.
Firefighters remained at the scene, with ambulance personnel standing by. A strong, pungent smell was also reported in the surrounding area.
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