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On 25 April 1968, one of Sydney’s most unforgettable fires lit up Darlinghurst, capturing the attention of thousands of city residents and leaving a lasting mark on the city’s history. The fire destroyed Buckingham’s Department Store, an iconic building on the corner of Oxford and Riley Streets, which had been a familiar presence in Sydney since it was established at the start of the twentieth century by Ashley James Buckingham. The store had earned a loyal following among th

*DISCLAIMER - The following incident contains the mention of deceased persons and showcases photographs from the horrific incident, reader discretion is advised. Before the sun even rose on Christmas Day 1975, a devastating fire engulfed the Savoy Private Hotel on Darlinghurst Road in Sydney’s Kings Cross district. The five-story hotel was packed with around 60 guests, a mix of local workers and holiday travellers who were taking advantage of the festive season. Within minute

Fire and blast at Amusement Zone in Kogarah, 4 December 1995 [Museum of Fire Collection] On Monday, 4 December 1995, a quiet afternoon in Kogarah was shattered by a devastating gas explosion at a family amusement centre on Railway Street. What began as a report of a strong smell of gas quickly escalated into one of the most serious incidents the area had seen in decades. Firefighters from No. 021 Kogarah and No. 029 Rockdale were dispatched at 2:00pm, but before crews could f

On 14 January 1975, in the heart of Sydney CBD, the former Angus and Robertson building on Castlereagh Street, opposite David Jones, was gutted by fire. Firefighters described it as the most difficult and hazardous commercial property fire they had fought in many years. The four-storey historic building had been occupied by various commercial businesses since Angus and Robertson vacated the premises in 1972. It contained a labyrinth of basement cellars and was crammed with so

Warning: Readers are advised that some of the images contained in this blog may be confronting and cause distress On 7 September 1994 at 2:30pm an automatic alarm alerted brigades to a fire at the Sydney Bowlers Club at 95-99 York Street, Sydney. Firefighter Darren Moore responded to the incident on the initial call. On arrival at the scene, he was carrying out his duties as the driver of the City of Sydney’s salvage appliance when he noticed movement inside a window of the f

Howards Department Store (later renamed Mates Department Store) had a rough year in 1973, with two fires causing considerable damage. Howards Department Store Suffers $50K in Damages, April 1973 The first fire occurred on 11 April 1973 when a fire broke out in the basement of the store which housed electrical motors that provided the store’s refrigeration. The store employees attempted to extinguish the blaze before alerting the fire brigade at 5:40pm. The fire quickly spread

30 years ago, on 27 December 1992 at 6:39pm fire crews were called to the Hampton Court Hotel at Kings Cross on Bayswater Road. The hotel had caught alight, beginning on the ground floor and was first noticed by staff working in the foyer office. The fire raged through the ground and first floor affecting the nightclub and bar present, with smoke damage affecting the upper residential levels of the hotel. The flames reached intense temperatures making it difficult for firefig