- A shocking fire broke out shortly before 6 a.m. on Wednesday
- 40 firefighters and nine trucks try to control it
Nambucca Sports and Leagues Club on the New South Wales Mid North Coast has been destroyed by a large fire that broke out before 6am on Wednesday, leaving the local community devastated.
Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) sent around 40 firefighters and nine trucks in an attempt to bring the inferno under control, and said they encountered “intense fire activity” which caused them to retreat as the building began to collapse.
Efforts to put out the fire were hampered by problems with the water supply and several large gas canisters that were left exposed to the flames.
FRNSW said the fire caused a “significant roof and structural collapse” and photographs from the scene showed the building almost completely engulfed in flames.
News of the destruction hit the town of Nambucca Heads hard, with locals taking to social media to express their anguish at the loss of the club, which was a hub for the community and home to 70 years of football and cricket memories.
The cause of the fire is unknown and FRNSW confirmed that the only person who was in the building at the time managed to escape.
The community of Nambucca on the New South Wales north coast was devastated by the destruction of its local league club in a horrific fire on Wednesday (pictured)
Firefighters were forced to retreat when the building began to collapse due to the severity of the fire, which started shortly before 6am.
'Oh no, I was there last night, this is horrible: the whole story of football photos and memories and workers and their jobs. “It's just devastating for all of us,” Patricia Flannigan wrote on Facebook.
'Clubs are the heart of our community. Devastated to see this post this morning. I wish everyone working in fire safety a speedy resolution,” another social media user wrote.
Local football team Nambucca Strikers issued a statement after the sad news emerged.
“We would just like to acknowledge the terrible loss that has occurred this morning with the fire at the Nambucca Sports and Leagues Club,” it said.
'The club was an integral part of our Strikers family and the support over the years has always been greatly appreciated. “We all have many cherished memories and it is a great loss for our football community.”
Nambucca Roosters rugby league club manager Peter Bellden was taken aback by the news.
“My vice president sent me a message saying, 'Oh my God, the club is on fire,'” he told alphabet.
The beloved club partially collapsed and was left as a burnt shell
'There are photos there dating back 70 years. The history of our club is there: all the life members and first place winning teams, photographs and memorabilia.
“It's all gone.”
FRNSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell echoed the community's distress in a statement as his crews battled the fire.
“Crews across the mid north coast faced significant risks including a well-developed fire, a structural collapse and the presence of gas cylinders,” he said.
'Our crews initially entered the building to attack the fire internally, but retreated as the building began to collapse, prioritizing the safety of firefighters while continuing operations from the outside.
'This has been a devastating loss for the Nambucca Heads community, with the destruction of a much-loved local facility. Firefighters worked tirelessly in extremely difficult conditions to protect lives and property and contain the fire.'
Fire crews were still on scene at the time of writing.
The club was founded in 1982 and supported the region's rugby, cricket and football teams.