1969: Grace Bros Roselands Fire

Myer at Roselands Shopping Centre was meant to close in July, but will remain in the shopping centre until January next year, when its lease concludes. By its closure, it would have traded for 61 years, opening originally as Grace Bros, before rebranding in 2004 (alongside all Grace Bros Stores). Grace Bros was also the original owner of the centre.

During its decades of trade, its lowest moment was on June 13 1969, when a fire broke out at the store, estimated at $3 million. The top floor of the department store and roof caught fire. The roof also collapsed. There was water and smoke damage to the rest of the store and the shopping centre itself.

The fire began around 4:15 pm and was likely triggered by an electrical fault in the switchbaord.

Above: Coverage from The Daily Telegraph, June 14, 1969.

Source: Anonymous. 1969. "Roselands store wrecked by fire". The Sydney Morning Herald, June 14: 1 & 9. 

"The smaller shops on the lower floors" (The Sun, June 14 1969) were reported to have reopened the next day, while Grace Bros was able to resume trading exactly one week after, even if it was a partial reopening.

Source: Davis, G. 1969. Sprinklers off as fire raged. The Sun, June 14: 2. 

Source: Anonymous. 1969. "Back to Business". The Daily Telegraph, June 17: 3

The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader (June 18 1969) also featured good coverage of the fire along with photographs.

  

1992: Ultimo's Australian Mercantile Land and Finance Co. Building destroyed by fire

Some readers may remember the fire that destroyed the Australian Mercantile Land and Finance Co. building at Ultimo in 1992.

Originally built in 1909, the former Woolstore in Ultimo had been abandoned and was facing redevelopment into an office, retail, apartment and hotel complex while preserving the heritage-listed building.

 

The fire began at lunchtime on 6 July 1992, but media reports reported that the fire "took hold" around 12:40pm. Being a former woolstore, lanolin, which had been embedded in the floors of the building, acted as an accelerant.

At around 12:51pm, a section of the wall along the western side collapsed, followed minutes later by sections of the eastern wall which lasted until 1:40pm.

Above: Coverage by The Sydney Morning Herald on 7 July 1992. 

The collapse of the eastern wall led to the destruction as many as 20 cars parked in Bullecourt Lane, catching alight as the heated walls rained down on them. Fortunately, the Monorail Depot escaped the carnage, though was hit by debris.

Firefighters from 15 fire stations fought the blaze, which took two hours to control but was smouldering for many hours afterwards. Four firefighters were injured.

Flames were reported to have risen as high as fifty metres into the air, with smoke visible from the suburbs.

Given the severity of the fire, 800 people were evacuated from nearby homes and businesses while thousands watched the fire burn from nearby vantage points.

The site eventually became the home of the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre and the Bullecourt apartment complex. The Aquatic Centre was opened in 2005 and was designed by Harry Seidler. 

Above: Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre. Photo taken by the Author (2009).

Above: The Bullecourt Apartment Complex. Photo taken by the Author (2015).