Images via Fire and Rescue NSW/Nine //
Last night, social media was flooded with images of an inferno after a fire engulfed two abandoned heritage-listed buildings in Surry Hills yesterday, right across from Central Station.
Now, NSW Police have revealed that two thirteen-year-olds have surrendered themselves in relation to the blaze. The Police arson squad have been investigating the fire, revealing a group of young people were seen running away from the building not long after the fire began around 4pm.
Acting assistant commissioner Paul Dunstan confirmed that “two young people” handed themselves in at “two separate police stations in the late hours of last night”.
SURRY HILLS | Wall collapses as major fire engulfs seven-storey building. New video footage, released by FRNSW, shows the moment a wall from an engulfed building in Surry Hills came crashing down onto the street below. pic.twitter.com/mZeYGg1Kox
— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) May 25, 2023
“We are speaking with these young people throughout the evening and they are now assisting police with our inquiries,” he continued. “I can further confirm we are aware of a further three or four other young people who were present during the fire.”
Street closures are currently in place on Randle Street where the buildings are at risk of collapse, which could lead to tonnes of bricks falling onto the street below, which is already covered in debris. A witness has described seeing “scared” school kids running from the fire, allegedly screaming “why are you still up there?” at someone still in the building.
Firefighters have not yet been able to access the site to determine the cause or if anyone was inside. Traffic diversions are currently in place along Elizabeth, Randle and Chalmers streets in the CBD.
my brother’s footage from the Surry Hills fire, i really hope no one was hurt. pic.twitter.com/hq1vYr5IkN
— Leah (@Leeargh) May 25, 2023
Incredible rooftop footage shows the aftermath of the Surry Hills fire. #SurryHills #SurryHillsfire pic.twitter.com/u80uhG1fRu
— Emily Kowal (@KowalEmily) May 25, 2023
How convenient that these two buildings engulfed in fire today in Sydney's Surry Hills just happened to be vacant, heritage listed, and there is a development application for redevelopment into a hotel… It all sounds very suspicious to me 🤔 https://t.co/G7J3a6s5yt pic.twitter.com/gN0qCuVqst
— Michael Fong (@fkhmichael) May 25, 2023
