A hotel kitchen on Eighth St, Mildura was destroyed yesterday, but CFA crews managed to evacuate occupants safely and contain the blaze.
Mildura crews arrived within six minutes of the call at 11.24am and had the incident under control by 12.43pm.
Firefighters worked through clouds of black smoke that had filled the building.
More trucks from Irymple and Merbein were called to assist, with a total of six trucks on the scene.
Officer in Charge Mick Sporton praised crews for their work in containing the fire to minimise damage and ensure no one was injured.
“This fire had the potential for a massive loss of life and property, so the first arriving crews in particular did a mighty job of containing the fire to the kitchen,” he said.
Alongside extensive damage to the kitchen, the bottom level and first floor of the hotel was smoke logged.
Author: CFA Media