General News
28 July, 2021
Second blaze in month shocks town
IN A SHOCKING case of deja vu Mareeba residents have again been left reeling and in a state of disbelief after two adjoining businesses were burnt to the ground nearly a month to the day a separate blaze destroyed the Performance Motors workshop in the early hours of June 29.
IN A SHOCKING case of deja vu Mareeba residents have again been left reeling and in a state of disbelief after two adjoining businesses were burnt to the ground nearly a month to the day a separate blaze destroyed the Performance Motors workshop in the early hours of June 29.
Local Police conducting regular patrols first noticed, then reported, the latest fire around 12.50am last Friday morning, July 23.
Upon arrival five Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crews discovered two local businesses, Floral Magic and Hort St Café, formerly Leaf Vine Café, both well alight and completely engulfed by flames.
A third business, Sharpe Psychology, suffered damage to its roof. The fire’s flames reached five metres high during its strongest point, with Fire Officers finally having the blaze under control by around 2.30am.
A leading detective who was on the scene by around 1am said preliminary investigations suggest the cause of the fire could be accidental.
“At this stage the fire does not appear suspicious,” Detective Senior Sergeant and Officer- in-Charge of The Tablelands CIB Brett Devine told The Express.
“Scientific staff and fire investigators have examined the site over the past few days. “Investigations will continue until a complete and final determination of cause is made.”
Mr Devine said although fires are extremely untimely, sadly, they are not uncommon.
“Any fire is terrible and definitely not ideal,” the Detective said.
“In saying that, they are not entirely unusual. Mareeba is a small place so it adds some strength for people or community members to initially think it may be (suspicious) however, they are not unusual. Fires occur, all over the place, all the time.”
