North Lakes ABC child centre to re-open in four months after fire

By Robyn Ironside

October 21, 2008 08:00am

THE parents of children who attend the ABC Learning Centre at North Lakes have been told it will be four to five months before the centre reopens.

The meeting was called last night to discuss arrangements following yesterday morning's devastating fire which destroyed the babyworld area and damaged the pre-schoolers' building.

Parents were told children could be accommodated at other ABC Learning Centres in the area but they would have to re-enrol their kids and groups of friends may be split up.

ABC Learning could also offer no assurance the children would remain with their current teachers.

The company said it was investigating the possible use of a vacant childcare centre in the area but this would take some time.

Parents said they would be happy to drive further to keep their children together and with the same carer.

Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire which looks to have been deliberately lit.

A firebug struck in North Lakes just a few weeks ago, starting fires in wheelie bins and a portaloo.

Source: The Courier Mail

Fire Safety Adviser Course

DELTRA Australia would like to congratulate all of the participants of our Fire Safety Adviser course which ran in August. DELTRA Australia will be running this course on a monthly basis in order to meet the demand created by the new Qld Building Fire Safety Regulation (2008) which has recently come into force.

High Occupancy Buildings are required to appoint a Building Fire Safety Adviser to look after areas such as fire training, evacuation diagrams, emergency response procedures and emergency plans. The Building Fire Safety Adviser is required to possess 8 Workplace Emergency Response units derived from the nationally recognised Public Safety Training Package. This units cover emergency prevention, establishment of an Emergency Planning Commitee and Emergency Control Organistion, training of Chief Warden and other Wardens, use of Fire Fighting Equipment, Compliance Auditing and the establishment of Emergency Plans and response procedures.

If you require further information on Fire Safety Adviser training, please contact us:

info@deltraaustralia.com

Evacuation as fire breaks out in Myer

Evacuation as fire breaks out in Myer

Andrea Petrie
September 10, 2008

THOUSANDS of people were evacuated from Myer's Melbourne store yesterday when construction workers sparked a fire in an area of the Bourke Street building being renovated.
More than 50 firefighters rushed to the scene about 3.30pm after workers in neighbouring buildings reported smoke from Myer's top floors.

Metropolitan Fire Brigade commander Wayne Garrard said about $20,000 damage was done. Construction workers had been cutting through metal pipes on the fifth floor in a services duct where the building's utilities pipes were located, he said.
"Over the years they've become clogged up with a lot of rubbish and the construction workers have been in there using cutting equipment and, of course, once the fire started up it was like a big chimney," he said.

"It's started on the fifth floor and it's gone right up to the roof which is on the ninth floor."
Myer chief executive Bernie Brookes said only the store's basement, where youth products were sold, and its ground floor cosmetics section were open to customers due to the refurbishment, which began in June.
About 2000 customers, 500 staff and construction workers were evacuated as soon as the alarm was raised.

Mr Brookes said while Myer's Lonsdale Street store stayed open during the emergency and would open as normal today, the Bourke Street store would remain closed until the fire brigade, WorkSafe and building inspectors declared it safe.

While the fire might have caused a setback to the renovations, he said he was confident the store's reopening would go ahead as planned in November next year.
The fire disrupted peak-hour traffic. Little Bourke Street between Swanston and Elizabeth streets was closed for several hours, as were parts of Swanston and Bourke streets, affecting 12 tram routes.

Probuild Constructions, the company doing the renovations, declined to comment yesterday.

Source: The Age

Hilton Fire

Hilton Hotel evacuated after fire

Shannon Molloy September 9, 2008 - 11:44AM

Up to 1000 people were evacuated from a Brisbane hotel this morning after an electrical switchboard malfunctioned and sparked a small fire.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service crews were called to the Hilton Hotel at about 10am after receiving reports of smoke on the building's ninth floor.

They eventually located the small fire and used a dry powder to extinguish it, however all hotel guests and staff were evacuated as a precaution.
An Emergency Services spokesman said an estimated 1000 people poured out onto Elizabeth and Queen Streets when the fire alarm sounded. About half of the crowd was people from a business conference being held inside.

No one was injured and people were able to return to the building just before 11am.

Source: Brisbane Times

Victory Hotel Fire

Fire authorities sift through Victory hotel ruins

Further checks will be carried out on the fire-ravaged ruins of the Victory Hotel in Brisbane's city centre today to determine if it should be demolished.

Around 700 patrons fled the hotel at around 3am AEST when a blaze broke out in the basement and spread to upper floors.

The walls of the Victory are still standing but it is not known how long they will stay that way.

The fire service says the exterior survived relatively intact.

Fire investigator Brett Finnis says this morning their first job will be to clear parts of the first floor that collapsed into the basement where the fire is believed to have started.

"So we've got to be able to move that material aside before we can determine where did this start, what caused the fire," he said.

He says their risk assessment of the site revealed there is severe damage.

"Part of our normal process to make sure that not only the public but the investigative teams, the police and the like are working in a safe as can be environment," he said.

"At this point it appears the building ... the structure ... has survived reasonably well but of course that is going to be determined further.

Source: ABC News

It is fairly certain that as a result of this Fire, the Qld Fire and Rescue Service will step up the number of inspections carried out on Hotels and Clubs. Now is a good time to make sure that all Evacuation Plans, Evacuation Diagrams, maintenance of fire equipment and staff training is up to date. Additionally, as the new Queensland Building Fire Safety Regulation has just been released, you will need to ensure compliance with this regulation. This may include the appointment of a Building Fire Safety Advisor, who must possess the 8 Workplace Emergency Response Qualifications that form part of the Public Safety Training Package. DELTRA Australia offers this training over four days, call us on 3274 6199 for more information.

Recent Gas Explosions highlight the need for regular emergency response training

Gas bottle explosion injures two at Mondo Organics, West End

Alex Dickinson

July 23, 2008 07:51pm

TWO men have suffered serious burns in a gas explosion at a Brisbane West End restaurant. The incident happened at a Hardgrave Rd business.

The two staff are believed to be a chef and a kitchenhand. The pair smelled gas in the kitchen that opens to the street shortly before the explosion which knocked them off their feet.

Neil Shaw was working at a neighbouring bottleshop and said one of the men ran into the street screaming.

"The walls shook and the next thing we know there's flames licking the sidewalk and a man out in the street yelling he was burnt," Mr Shaw said.

The men were taken to Royal Brisbane Hospital in a stable condition with burns to the torso, hands and arms.

Roma St fire station officer David Sutch said the explosion could have been a lot worse.

"Luckily we got there quickly and got it under control," he said. "Because it occurred early in the night the restaurant wasn't busy and there weren't as many staff in the kitchen as there would be later.

"The gas was still leaking when we got there but if the bottle itself had exploded there could have been some serious injuries."

It is believed there were two diners in the restaurant at the time.

The blaze was contained to the kitchen but the restaurant suffered extensive water damage. The street was blocked for several hours.

Source: Courier Mail

This is by no means an isolated incident, on 17/6/08 an Eagle Boys pizza shopped was damaged in an explosion believed to be caused by leaking gas. Additionally on the 9/6/08 a gas explosion at a gas plant in WA led to a 30% reduction in gas output for the entire state.

Training in responding to internal emergencies, such as gas leak, can lessen the incidence of death and injury. Also knowing that a gas fire/ leak is best handled by switching off the gas main.

Hosptial is a Fire Trap

Mareeba Hospital a 'fire trap'

Saturday, May 24, 2008

© The Cairns Post

AN audit of Mareeba Hospital and its nurses' quarters has exposed a litany of fire safety breaches that could force it to close.

The Weekend Post can reveal Queensland Health has been given until June 20 to make urgent repairs on the buildings described as fire hazards.

Safety problems identified by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service include faulty smoke doors in the hospital and inadequate fire safety signs, problems with locks and the lack of a fire safety management plan at the nurses quarters.

Of most concern is the nurses’ quarters, with a source telling The Weekend Post maintenance problems in the 60-year-old building breached the Building and Other Legislation Amendment Act, which was brought in as a result of the Childers Backpackers fire in 2000.

Fifteen backpackers were killed in a horrific arson attack after they were unable to exit the burning building.

"The accommodation for the nurses was not up to regulation," the source said.

"It’s a fire hazard."

QFRS assistant commissioner Mark Roche said a meeting was held with Queensland Health yesterday to review progress and to make sure outstanding issues were being
addressed.

"During a recent inspection at the nurses’ quarters at Mareeba Hospital a number of items relating to the safety of occupants were assessed, with a specific focus on safe egress in case of fire or emergency incidents," he said.

"Following (an) inspection, a number of issues were identified which require minor maintenance and upgrades."

The Weekend Post can reveal Queensland Health has been given until June 20 to make urgent repairs on the buildings described as fire hazards.

Mr Roche said the department was confident the problems would be fixed shortly.

A Queensland Health spokesman said the Tableland Health Service was working closely with QFRS to ensure all fire safety problems were addressed properly.

"An action plan has been developed to address the issues in the nurses’ quarters," he said.

"Some of the items, including problem locks, already have been rectified."

The spokesman said in the hospital, the routine fire inspection had identified some issues with the smoke doors not functioning properly.

"These smoke doors and their operating mechanisms were upgraded only two years ago at a cost of around $34,000," he said.

"The initial estimate of the cost of the work needed to rectify the problem with the doors is around $28,000.

"The Tablelands Health Service has been in contact with the company that did the upgrading work and is awaiting a response."

Jamie Olivers Melbourne HQ Gutted by FIRE

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's Melbourne headquarters have been gutted in a blaze that forced the evacuation of 700 people.

The office of Oliver's Fifteen restaurant, which featured in a reality television series when it was launched two years ago, was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived after 8.30pm last night.

About 50 firefighters took 40 minutes to control the blaze at 101 Collins Street, which destroyed the Fifteen office and two other offices on the first floor of the building.

Some 700 people were forced to evacuate other buildings and restaurants surrounding the fire, the Herald Sun reported.

Nightspot and live music venue The Cherry Bar was also damaged in the blaze.

However the fire did not reach the Fifteen restaurant, which is at 115-117 Collins Street.
The Fifteen office also runs the Fifteen Foundation, which gives young people with tough backgrounds an opportunity to train and be employed as apprentice chefs.

Metropolitan Fire Brigade commander Lou Mele said the damage bill could reach $1 million.

"Pretty much the whole first floor is gutted," Mr Mele said.
"That's where the fire started, on the first floor."

The blaze started on the first floor, gutting the interior of the three offices and collapsing part of the iron roof, but leaving the building otherwise structurally intact, Mr Mele said.

He said the The Cherry Bar suffered smoke, heat and water damage.

Fire investigators are working to pinpoint where and how on the first floor the fire started.
No other buildings were damaged in the blaze.

source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=575748