A blaze has gutted two buildings in a city’s CBD, including one of historical significance.
Emergency services were called to the Lismore Masonic Temple on Magellan St, in northern NSW, about 4am on Wednesday.
Footage from the scene shows the building fully engulfed in flames, with the fire so intense it lit up the night sky.
The blaze spread to an adjoining building, destroying both structures before firefighters managed to extinguish it about 6am.
No injuries have been reported.
A crime scene has been established, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Masonic Temple, built in the early 20th century, had in recent years been used as a theatre training and dance studio.
The local community has taken to social media to express their sorrow and disbelief.
“This beautiful and historically significant building was not just an architectural gem but a cherished part of the city’s rich cultural heritage,” a local shop wrote.
“This loss is not just of bricks and mortar, but of a piece of Lismore’s story — a reminder of the many generations who passed through its doors and the legacy it represented.”
Lismore was at the heart of Australia’s costliest natural disaster, when the 2022 floods left more than 4000 homes uninhabitable.
