Sydney: Two firefighters were injured after a violent explosion at a waste facility in Sydney, Australia, sent fireballs 100 meters (nearly 328 feet) into the sky, public broadcaster ABC reported on Sunday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the explosion occurred on Saturday at a chemical recycling facility in the western part of the city, showering firefighters with chunks of concrete and debris as they were battling a blaze. The fire began overnight on Kurrajong Street in North St Marys, producing intense heat and a massive fireball that shot more than 100 meters into the sky.
Jeremy Fewtrell, the New South Wales fire and rescue commissioner, remarked, "I have never seen anything like that, to that degree." Over 50 fire units and hundreds of firefighters responded to the scene just before 11 pm Saturday (1200GMT). By that time, the fire had spread rapidly, engulfing the area in smoke.
Despite the initial efforts to contain it, the fire quickly escalated before the explosion took place. Two firefighters experienced skin irritations due to chemicals seeping through their gloves but did not require hospitalization.
By Sunday afternoon, the building was destroyed, and the neighboring business' walls were "blown apart," though firefighters managed to save its contents. Hazardous materials crews are working to secure chemicals on site, while the Environment Protection Agency, fire investigators, and New South Wales Police have commenced their investigation into the cause.