Luke Bailey was among those forced to evacuate when Newcastle's historic woolstore buildings were engulfed in flames yesterday. The fire is now under control, but authorities are warning of health hazards for those in the area.
Newcastle Police District Commander Wayne Humphrey said asbestos contamination was a concern for surrounding residents.
"As the rest of the state prays for the rain to go away, we're actually pretty happy it's raining at the moment, because it's wetting down asbestos — so that rain is welcome at the moment."You need to keep your windows on the eastern side of the building closed.Firefighters are attacking the flames from above as the fire continues to smoulder today."It's not just a storage facility — there were a number of affected businesses," he said.
"Those firemen were up on the first floor where we believe the seat of the fire is — incredibly brave, incredibly brave."The Wickham wool stores, seen here in 1978, and the nearby fuel depot that firefighters worked desperately to protect.The former woolstore buildings are more than 80 years old and local conservation groups were trying to get them ready for adaptive reuse.
Barney Collins, a local architect with EJE who specialises in heritage conservation, says it is a huge loss for Newcastle's history.
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