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ABC News
2 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Fire that sent flames onto Hindley Street believed to have started in fryer
Firefighters who responded to a blaze at a business in Adelaide's CBD were met by flames "blasting through the front door", but managed to quickly control them, the MFS has said. The Metropolitan Fire Service was called to the scene about 1:45pm on Hindley Street, where large flames were sending up plumes of smoke above the roof of the building complex. The business at the centre of the fire was one of several located inside the building, which dates back to the early 1900s, and the blaze forced the evacuation of the area. "When I got there and saw that many fire trucks I was like, this is bigger and worse than I even imagined," said neighbouring business owner Jesse Trout. "The whole of Hindley Street from Morphett to King William was blocked off from what I could see. It was crazy." The MFS said about 40 firefighters and 14 vehicles attended the scene and the blaze was "brought under control within 10 minutes", but crews remained on scene for several hours. "MFS evacuated the immediate surrounding area as thick smoke was impacting neighbouring businesses." The MFS said fire investigators were working to determine a cause and an estimated damage bill. "At the moment, we've got it about $300 to $400,000 for the building concerned," MFS commander Declan Dwyer told ABC Radio Adelaide. He said initial reports suggested it was a kitchen fire that started in a deep fryer, and that it was a chef who raised the alarm. "He did exactly the right thing — he just got out, rang triple 0 and got everyone else back and kept everyone safe," he said. "As we turned our appliances onto Hindley Street, we could see there was a considerable amount of smoke coming out of the building, and literally as we were pulling up it flashed over and we had a large column of flames coming out onto the footpath. "We had to try to control the fire and stop it spreading to adjoining businesses and the floors above. We also had to attack it from the back of the building." Mr Dwyer said crews ensured there was no-one in harm's way, but rescued three cats. "They were pretty scared but fortunately they were very cooperative," he said. "These guys had no problems at all with being rescued. They were brought out much to the crowd's delight, I think." The MFS said while adjoining businesses had been spared heat and fire damage, the fire had impacted the building's electricity supply. Mr Trout — who is preparing to open a business next door within days — expressed great relief at the speed of the response. He said he had received an email approving his business's liquor licence just 15 minutes before he was informed of the fire. "We start getting videos from friends, who work in the city, of the building that's connected to us on fire — not just on fire, but full ablaze, like something in a movie," he said. "We just had the excitement of, 'We're finally going to get to open'. "Then we're like, 'Oh my god, maybe it's over before it even began'." He expressed sympathy for the owners of the gutted business, but was relieved that the rest of the building had avoided major damage. "To see them absolutely gutted while their business is absolutely gutted was so sad," he said. "[But] being able to get there so fast and stopping that from spreading into all the other buildings there as fast as [the MFS] did was pretty amazing."
9 News
19-07-2025
- General
- 9 News
Pet dog hailed a hero after couple's home goes up in flames
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here A pet dog has been hailed a hero after helping its elderly owners - the grandparents of Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee's wife - escape their burning home. Little Jack Russell Vivienne alerted elderly couple Helen and Geoff Packer when their fire alarms failed to activate after their home on Glen Avenue in Unley Park went up in flames about 3am. The Packers, who are grandparents of Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee's wife Maisie Packer and members of a prominent Adelaide business family, were reportedly asleep when the fire broke out. Little Jack Russell Vivienne alerted elderly couple Helen and Geoff Packer when their fire alarms failed to activate after their home on Glen Avenue in Unley Park went up in flames about 3am. (9News) According to the Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS), the home's fire alarms did not activate due to the external nature of the fire's origin. It started in the carport before rapidly spreading to the home's roof. The couple's house was extensively damaged by fire, with the estimated cost of damages reaching $2 million dollars. "It's a pretty bad day for them, they've lost most of their house. However, the Jack Russell dog has woken them up and they're unscathed," MFS' Gideon Douglas said. "Hundred per cent that dog needs some treats today," he said. Little Jack Russell Vivienne alerted elderly couple Helen and Geoff Packer when their fire alarms failed to activate after their home on Glen Avenue in Unley Park went up in flames about 3am. (9News) Little Jack Russell Vivienne alerted elderly couple Helen and Geoff Packer when their fire alarms failed to activate after their home on Glen Avenue in Unley Park went up in flames about 3am. (9News) Neighbour Scott Fox tried to contain the fire with a garden house before firefighters were on scene. "I thought if I could get some water on the exterior of the building it might not be able to catch it but it was raging, it was pretty hot," Fox said. The Packers, who have resided at the property for three decades, are insured, but are unsure about rebuilding due to their ages. This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress . South Australia Adelaide fires animals CONTACT US Auto news: BYD speaks out about their ongoing battle with Tesla.
9 News
17-06-2025
- 9 News
Arsonist accidentally sets himself alight while starting fire at barber shop
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Security cameras have captured the moment a South Australian barber shop was targeted in a fire bomb attack. Police are investigating two suspicious fires at Hall of Fade Barbershop in Blackwood over the course of two days. In the latest incident, emergency services were called to the store at 1.30am after an explosion broke out at the business. Security cameras have captured the moment a South Australian barber shop was caught up in a fire bomb attack. (9News) Firefighters managed to contain the fire to the barber shop and extinguished the blaze. Security vision shows two suspects forcing their way into the store with a jerry can in tow. The pair eventually re-emerge and ignite the fire which resulted in an explosion. Security cameras have captured the moment a South Australian barber shop was caught up in a fire bomb attack. (9News) The two were even caught up in the blaze themselves, with one of them catching fire in the process. "We found that the barber shop had the front window broken and fire was throughout the whole store," Metropolitan Fire Service assistant chief fire officer Dale Thompson said. "There was a jerry can out front the store that was still on fire when crews arrived." Neighbouring businesses were affected by the smoke. "The smoke was everywhere, our shop was completely smoked," witness Moula Mohammad said. This incident follows a small fire at the same business at 9.10pm on Sunday, where police found Molotov cocktails which were party ignited on the footpath. The owner has told 9News he has no idea who would want to target the business. Adelaide South Australia national Australia CONTACT US
ABC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Metropolitan Fire Service executive director Prema Osborne leaves agency
South Australia's Metropolitan Fire Service executive director Prema Osborne has quietly departed the job after a bungle by the organisation that left firefighters owed more than 6,000 outstanding travel allowance payments. On Friday, MFS chief officer Jeff Swann emailed staff saying Ms Osborne, the most senior non-uniformed member of the service, "concluded her tenure with the [MFS]". He did not explain why she left, nor did an MFS spokesperson when contacted by the ABC, instead repeating the content of Mr Swann's letter. "Prema has led some significant projects and enhanced aspects of the MFS during her tenure," Mr Swann wrote. "I would like to extend my thanks to Prema for her contributions since joining the MFS, as we wish her well for her future endeavours. "In the interim, deputy chief officer Cameron Devey will assume responsibilities for the areas previously overseen by Prema, ensuring continuity of leadership and operational support across the MFS." Ms Osborne declined to comment on the circumstances of her departure from the MFS. Her exit comes two weeks after the SA Employment Tribunal ordered the MFS to pay all outstanding work travel claims within 28 days. Internal sources said her position was considered untenable by many rank-and-file members, with payments accidentally frozen for seven months, amid reports of further administrative issues. On May 14, the tribunal found the MFS unlawfully withheld travel payments between August 2024 and March this year after affected firefighters escalated complaints. During the case, lodged by the United Firefighters Union (UFU), Ms Osborne testified that two ex-staff members were responsible for processing payments, and had not implemented a handover before resigning. However, she said their replacements were not given additional resources to fix the backlog because of budget constraints. Magistrate Katherine Eaton rejected that excuse and found it "[did] not preclude re-allocating existing resources … or attempting to obtain additional resources". "The job was being done without difficulty within resources until two staff left," she said. "That senior management did not know how that task was being performed or by whom speaks to a failure of management diligence, not resources. "Once the SAMFS management became aware its firefighters were not being paid their entitlements, resuming compliance with that legal obligation should have had led to nothing short of full-time dedication of resources until it was resolved." She concluded her decision by remarking: "The employer here is the Crown. That it has failed over such an extended period to comply with its own legal obligations is disturbing". In court, the MFS was unable to clarify the total amount owed. Speaking to ABC Radio Adelaide on Tuesday, UFU SA secretary Max Adlam said she read Mr Swann's email but "did not have a great deal more information" about it. Ms Adlam said "a lot of the support positions have simply been shredded over the last 12 months", which had left operational staff to pick up the workload. "Our experience, and our members' experience, is that underpayments and overpayments are a constant problem … we think the resourcing is a really big issue for them," she said. The MFS declined to comment on support staff cuts. Several MFS sources said Ms Osborne was criticised by colleagues for her oversight of the MFS Direct Entry Framework, which sought to attract interstate firefighters. According to sources, applicants were not told until the end of their interviews they would need to serve a mandatory five-year regional posting, which was eventually bargained down to two years. Applicants also had to pay their way to Adelaide to attend interviews at South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM) headquarters late last year, which were re-scheduled at least once. "Otherwise, they wouldn't have wasted their time." The MFS spokesperson said during interviews the "applicants provided a preference for the regional station they could be located at". Ms Osborne was previously a senior executive at SafeWork SA between 2018 and 2022, before being hired by the MFS in 2023. Alongside SafeWork chief executive Martyn Campbell, she left the watchdog one month before the Merritt Review was handed down, which uncovered problems with resourcing and staff turnover. Emergency Services Minister Emily Bourke deferred questions to the MFS.
