Arson squad detectives have formally charged two 13-year-old boys in connection with a devastating Surry Hills fire that engulfed a historic seven-storey building.
The blaze, which occurred on 25 May 2023 and required the efforts of over 100 firefighters to contain, left the 111-year-old former hat and headwear factory on Randle Street reduced to ruins and wreaked havoc on the surrounding area.
The inferno’s intensity was such that two adjacent structures suffered irreparable damage and had to be demolished, adding to the mayhem that unfolded as thick plumes of smoke billowed across the city.
The fiery incident, which witnesses described as creating a “tornado of smoke,” drew widespread attention and concern. The heat generated by the blaze was so intense that it could be felt from a block away, and the building itself was nearly entirely reduced to rubble within a matter of hours. Chunks of debris from the building’s roof and walls fell onto the streets below, as shocked commuters and onlookers watched in disbelief.
The chaotic scenes witnessed hundreds of residents and office workers being urgently evacuated from nearby buildings, whilst a contingent of firefighters fought tirelessly to control the blaze.
The boys, whose identities are protected due to their age, face a range of serious charges. They are accused of deliberately causing destruction to property using fire, with the loss estimated to be upwards of $5000. Additionally, they have been charged with unlawfully entering enclosed premises without a valid reason.
One of the boys faces further allegations, charged with two counts of shoplifting that are said to have occurred at a grocery store on Elizabeth Street on the same day as the fire.
Initially, four teenagers were brought in for questioning in relation to the Surry Hills fire. However, charges were not filed at that time. It was only after further investigation that the two 13-year-old boys were formally charged with the series of offenses.
The two boys are now set to appear before a children’s court on 4 Oct 2023, where the gravity of the charges will be addressed.
Published 28 Aug 2023