Hi All,
Another tragic story involving fire, chaos and evacuations:
Fire crews have rushed to an inner-Sydney office block where a building is well alight, a brigade spokesman says. About 6am (AEST) on Monday fire crews were called to a fire on the third floor of a building on the corner of Pitt and Market streets in Sydney city.
"We have 10 utilities (trucks) either at the scene or on the way," the fire brigades spokesman told AAP.
Market Street is closed to traffic between Castlereagh and George streets while emergency crews work to extinguish the fire.
Paramedics are on standby outside the three-storey building but it is not known if anyone is inside, an ambulance spokesman told AAP.
Smoke continues to come from the building, where a men's clothing store occupies the ground floor, as fire crews hose the blaze from two cherrypickers above.
Reports suggest the building is a frequent home to squatters, however fire crews say they have not found anyone inside. They have not yet determined the cause of the fire.
Neighbouring buildings, including the Hilton Hotel, have been evacuated, ABC Radio reports, although NSW Fire Brigades are now saying the fire is under control.
Police have now also closed Pitt Street between Park and Market streets, with the road closures expected to cause significant inner-city traffic delays for the start of the working week.
