8 Indians in Aus narrowly escape as building catches fire

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Nov 2 (PTI) Eight Indians had a narrow escape
when an Internet cafe below their flat here caught fire
following an explosion under suspicious circumstances, minutes
after a similar incident at a nearby warehouse.
Residents sharing a flat above the Internet cafe in
Sydney Road, Brunswick, were woken by a loud bang just
before 1.30 am (local time), according to 'The Age'.
Metropolitan Fire Brigade acting commander Steve Dorman
said the flatmates made a narrow escape on hearing smoke
alarms as the cafe's front windows blew out and the two-storey
brick building caught fire.
The fire gutted the cafe and a ground-floor residence
while causing significant damage to adjoining buildings. It
took 25 firefighters almost an hour to control to the flames.
MFB commander Ian Yates told local media that the fire
might have caused the explosion in the cafe.
"There's also occupants living above the shop which is
our primary concern and the crews had to get in with breathing
apparatus to make sure everybody was out safely.
"It was a bit touch and go there for a little while but
they did a great job once again," Yates said.
None of the upstairs residents were injured.
Minutes earlier, just before 1.15 am (local time), a
fire had spread quickly through a warehouse nearby in East
Brunswick.
Both the fires are considered suspicious and are being
investigated by police, the paper said. PTI