Great Northern Hotel fire: Iconic Townsville pub engulfed in flames as two people rushed to hospital
The heritage-protected pub has suffered a ‘full structural collapse’ as a result of a fire ripping through it on Friday morning.
Locals are being warned to avoid the Townsville CBD after a heritage-listed pub went up in flames and two people were rushed to hospital on Friday morning.
Firefighters arrived to the Great Northern Hotel on Flinders Street at 6.15am to find the building fully engulfed in flames.
The heritage-protected pub has suffered extensive damage, with the roof and second-storey affected by what Queensland Fire Department has called a “full structural collapse”.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Fire crews prioritised exposure protection in order to contain the blaze before it engulfed neighbouring properties, although minor damage has been sustained by nearby buildings.
Queensland Fire Department have now issued a health warning to Townsville residents to avoid the area and stay inside due to smoke blanketing the city.
The destroyed pub, which is owned by Queensland business man and construction company owner Adrian Gabrielli, has been closed since 2015 when a fire caused internal damage to it.
Fire and Rescue Townsville Inspector Damien Phillips told the ABC that rotten floors from prior damage as well as the weather conditions this morning accelerated the flames.
“Lots of old wood, that definitely accelerates the fire,” Mr Phillips told the ABC.
“With the wind gusting, that also caused lots of oxygen to enter the building, which accelerated the fire and it moved a lot quicker.”
Damage assessment crews were recalled from the gutted building after the conditions were deemed too unsafe.
A Queensland Fire Department spokesperson confirmed a firefighter sustained minor injuries while fighting the blaze before being assessed and cleared by paramedics.
Ambulance services rushed a patient to Mater Hospital in Townsville with facial injuries while another patient is being treated for smoke inhalation.
A third bystander was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
The pub has been standing since 1900 and has been protected under the Queensland Heritage Act since 1992 due to its significance as an iconic structure in the Townsville CBD.
