Brisbane’s Port Office Hotel burns after fire starts in kitchen

A Heritage-listed Brisbane pub has been saved from major structural damage after a fire started in the kitchen and spread into the roof.

The fire started in the kitchen of the Port Office Hotel, on the corner of Edward and Margaret street in the CBD, about 12.10pm, a Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said.

Roma Street fire station officer Samuel Carrigg said workers thought they had the fire under control initially, not realising it was raging inside the roof.

“I believe there was a fire on the grill and it had gotten a bit bigger than they expected,” Mr Carrigg said.

“The fire on the grill went up through the exhaust vent and then the radiated heat spread to the air conditioning unit.”

He said it was so hot inside the exhaust vent, plastic tubing around the air conditioning unit had ignited.

Port Office Hotel chef David Lindsey said he thought it was a fire drill at first.

“The alarms started to go off and we were all told to leave the building. I didn’t see any flames,” he said.

“We were all just told to sit and wait out here.”

A QFS spokesman said crews contained the fire within minutes.

Mr Carrigg said there was no major structural problems but there was “significant” damage to electrical cabling and air conditioning system inside the roof.

He said the work of fire crews saved the heritage-listed building from further damage.

Everyone was evacuated from the hotel safely.

 

Article by Lydia Lynch – Brisbane Times – Source Link