00:00It was just after 1 o'clock this morning that this laundromat just behind me became totally
00:07engulfed in flames on the corner of Dunlop and Church Street in North Parramatta.
00:14Now Church Street in Parramatta is quite a busy road so there has been some traffic disruption
00:18that has eased throughout the morning and is expected to ease even more so later.
00:23However on Dunlop Street at this industrial laundromat we saw incredibly hot fire burning
00:29high into the sky with flames licking the atmosphere and really causing incredible
00:34distress for the more than 20 fire trucks and 100 firefighters deployed to the scene.
00:39They used four ladder trucks to pummel the blaze with water and create a sort of containment
00:44to the northern side of the building.
00:47That meant no other buildings nearby could be damaged.
00:50As for people in the area there were some evacuations for residents as well as at a
00:54vet surgery where a nurse staying overnight at the facility as well as some animals being
00:59stored post their operation also had to be temporarily evacuated until it was safe to
01:05return them.
01:06Everyone has now since been able to return to their homes.
01:09There have been distributions of P2 masks as well to residents nearby as they've been
01:14able to be advised that obviously any smoke or byproducts coming from the site can cause
01:19some danger if inhalated so as a result people have been given masks and advice to keep doors
01:24and vents and other windows closed to protect against these risk factors.
01:29As for the source and cause of the fire now daylight is being used to determine what may
01:34have been the reason why this site became totally engulfed in flames whether it was
01:40suspicious or not.
01:42So the biggest thing now is to get those final bits of smouldering pockets of fire extinguished
01:48and we'll also use the benefit of the daylight to do a better assessment of the building
01:52and that'll determine whether it's safe for investigators to actually enter the premises.
01:56One resident spoke to the ABC about just how concerning the initial fire was and how thankful
02:02he is that no one was hurt.
02:05The team they are the real heroes for us not me I'm just giving my way outside my family
02:11are safe everybody is safe in this area and what they did they shut down the electricity
02:16so their people can be also safe.
02:18I don't know whether you are able to see on the like your cameras but it is a huge
02:23huge it reaches to the sky.
02:26Other than a secured off area where fireys and police officers are working the general
02:31part of North Parramatta is considered safe and there is no broader threat to public safety.
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