Investigations continue after Kempsey factory blaze

Firefighters were called to the scene on South Street at around 11pm on March 5.

"The conditions were extreme. There were gas cylinders that were exploding inside when we got there and the fire was quite intense," Kempsey Fire and Rescue Deputy Captain Richard Griffiths said.

"There were 12 firefighters from Kempsey who arrived first on scene and battled the blaze for about 40 minutes until additional crews arrived, increasing our numbers to around 50 firefighters."

Crews from Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Urunga, Bellingen and South West Rocks worked to bring the fire under control.

The Rural Fire Service was also called in to provide support.

The blaze caused extensive damage to the building and destroyed a number of vehicles that were inside at the time.

"There was alight oil coming out of the building that we had to put out before it ran down the street," Dept Capt Griffiths said.

"The close exposures on either side of the building, the contents inside, electrical arcing outside the building and the intensity of the fire made the situation extreme.

"It was definitely the worst factory fire I've been to."

Crews worked to bring the fire under control, however the building collapsed before the fire was extinguished at 4.30am which caused irreparable damage.

Forensic police attended the scene on Saturday and are investigating the incident as suspicious.

"We also had a Fire and Rescue investigation team visit the scene on Sunday, along with a accelerant detection dog," Dept Capt Griffiths said.

"At this stage the cause of the fire is undetermined."

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact Kempsey Police on 6561 6199.

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