Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) fought for 50 minutes to extinguish a building fire in Lalor on New Year’s Day.
Multiple witnesses called triple-0 at 3.21pm reporting thick black smoke issuing from a single story brick shop on May Road.
The first FRV fire truck arrived on scene within 9 minutes, finding the 10 by 10 metre located in a row of shops, fully involved with fire.
The response was escalated, a total of ten fire trucks and 30 firefighters attended the scene.
Crews wearing breathing apparatus entered the building confirming no one was inside, six people were evacuated from the shop next door.
Part of the roof collapsed making it challenging for crews to access the fire in the middle of the shop.
The attending firefighters set up hose lines and attacked the fire, bringing it under control at approximately 4.19pm.
Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria were also in attendance at the scene, along with power and gas companies who isolated the area.
A building surveyor will check the integrity of the structure and a council health inspector will also attend as the fire was in a food shop.
