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“Keep the area around the hydrant clear of any grass, vegetation, gardens, rubbish and dirt. Don’t place large heavy objects on top or next to the surface fitting. Ensure no one parks over the hydrant at any time.”

But when they arrived in Mill Street on the night of 15 January, the hydrants nearest to the blaze weren’t working.

“There was more than one,” Station Commander Captain Les King confirmed to News Of The Area.

“This meant our hoses had to cover more ground.”

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is responsible for the hydrants.

NOTA has sought a response as to why they weren’t connected to the water supply.

Access was just one of the hurdles Fire and Rescue and RFS crews overcame that night.

“On the corner of Mill and Bold streets, hundreds of people and the traffic created issues for responding fire trucks,” Captain King said.

“Numerous internal gas cylinders exploded [and] one firefighter suffered an ankle injury.”

While nothing could be done to save the Co-op building, the expert coordination and efforts of firefighters prevented damage to the boats and yachts moored nearby, the unloading wharf, the slip, and two external LPG tanks.

Fortunately, no one was inside the building at the time.

A spokesperson for NSW Police said inquiries into the cause of the blaze are ongoing and anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Emergency response

Captain King said both he and the station received the first reports of the fire from nearby residents, around 8pm.

One truck arrived and found the building fully involved, while the second truck joined a short time later.

“I was taking a crew to Johns River for a motor accident just ten minutes beforehand. [When it] turned out we were not required, we came straight to the Co-op.”

Laurieton’s two trucks were soon joined by a HAZMAT (hazardous chemicals) team from Port Macquarie, Fire and Rescue crews from Taree and Wauchope, and numerous Rural Fire Service brigades.

“We had four hoses and eight firefighters on rotation, and a ground monitor. We were able to keep the tanks cool so they didn’t explode.”

After the main fire was out, crews took it in turn to monitor for flare-ups, using a Fire and Rescue NSW drone the following day, to see inside the gutted building.

Forensic officers began inspecting the scene from the outside.

“They could not enter the building due to its instability.”

Recruiting

The fire has highlighted the importance of a multi-agency response to emergencies, and the need for more firefighters.

Laurieton FRNSW is currently recruiting for paid positions.

Anyone interested in making a significant contribution to their community is asked to go to the FRNSW website for more information.

By Sue STEPHENSON