Firefighters have battled to contain a blaze that broke out in Melbourne’s CBD on Thursday afternoon.
Emergency services rushed to the factory fire on Clarendon St between Crown Casino and the CityLink in Southbank at about 4pm.
They arrived to find one factory fully engulfed in flames before it quickly spread to a neighbouring factory.
Video of the incident shows the factory’s roof fully engulfed in flames at the most intense point of the blaze.
A group of 35 firefighters battled the blaze for about 50 minutes, with some crews donning breathing apparatus to begin an “internal attack” on the fire.
It has now been brought under control.
It’s unclear how the fire started, but it is being treated as suspicious by Victoria Police.
“No one was inside at the time of the fire and the exact cause is yet to be determined but is being treated as suspicious at this stage,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
“There were no reported occupants; however, FRV will do a thorough search when able,” a Fire Rescue Victoria spokesperson said.
The fire is expected to cause traffic chaos, as Clarendon St has been closed in both directions as well as the Line 12 tram that runs through South Melbourne.
Melburnians are urged to avoid the area.
FRV have urged residents in Albert Park, Docklands, Melbourne, Port Melbourne, South Melbourne, South Wharf and…
