Border community scrambles after fire destroys shops
A major fire has ripped through a block of shops in a small town straddling the Queensland-NSW border overnight.
The only supermarket in Mungindi, as well as a butchery and a clothing store, have been gutted by the flames.
A residential flat within the building was also destroyed.
The fire is estimated to have caused $1 million worth of damage, including loss of stock, and a crime scene has been established.
It’s been a rough night for our little community, losing our supermarket, butcher, clothing & homewares shops. The Mungindi community is unstoppable – Water trucks and people came from everywhere to save the rest of the town. Together we’re tougher than anything thrown at us!! pic.twitter.com/fYN7n1Bko0
— Sam Heagney (@samheagney) September 1, 2020
Mungindi newsagency owner Virginia Grey told Ray Hadley the community is in shock.
“We’ve got a wonderful little community and everyone is rallying around, as they were last night removing stuff from our shops, and then again this morning putting it all back in.”
Her business is located three doors down from those destroyed by the fire.
“The buildings in our main street are all very old, so if it had kept going, we would’ve lost the whole of the main street.
“We are very, very lucky.”
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Vision of the blaze engulfing the businesses has been shared on social media.
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