Shop Fire Sees Dramatic Rescue In Tully

Police and Firefighters on the scene at Butler St in Tully. Photo sourced: Facebook

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An overnight fire has extensively damaged a commercial building on Butler Street after crews rescued a woman trapped inside before bringing the blaze under control.

Queensland Fire Department crews were called to the shop about 11:30pm on Saturday after reports of a structure fire.

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The first crew arrived shortly before 12:20am to find smoke issuing from the building and worked to gain access after discovering the premises was locked.

Firefighters located one person inside, believed to be one of the business owners, Jean. Crews brought her onto a second-floor awning before safely assisting her to the ground with support from partner emergency services.

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The fire continued to burn while rescue efforts were underway but was brought under control soon afterwards and extinguished just before 1am.

A QFD spokesperson said that initial investigations indicate the blaze was caused by an electrical fault in a refrigerator. As the cause has been identified, no further investigation is required.

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The fire caused extensive damage to the interior of the business, destroying stock and equipment. Owners Nick and Jean, who recently took over the shop, are expected to face several months of repairs before they can reopen.

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Despite the damage, the building remained standing thanks to the efforts of the four Queensland Fire Department crews who responded to the incident. No serious injuries were reported.

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