Tweet
St Kilda Beach Icon Gone!
A very sad day for Melbourne and particularly St Kilda as renowned beachfront destination venue and restaurant, The Stokehouse, burnt out of control on the foreshore. Repeated explosions could be heard going off like fire crackers and the upper level collapsed into the building.
No injuries have been noted to date, allegedly patrons were rushed from the upper level when the fire is reported to have started in the kitchen. The staff's quick action probably saved a number of lives, the smoke and fumes, let alone explosions were very frightening.
It is reported that the fire started when a fridge burst into flame, shortly after the lights went out and the fire sprinklers started as patrons were ushered from upstairs out to the rear of the restaurant. Staff also lost their belongings that were still trapped inside.
The fire started around 11:00pm Friday night and as the night progressed more and more appliances from the MFB were called into action and the site has been in lockdown since.
When I got to the site there was smoke billowing from the roof and spewing into the sky above The Espy, and as far up Fitzroy Street as Topolinos smoke was filling rooms of the local food traders.
Hundreds of people surrounded the building well cordoned off by the police and gawked from all sides.
Police had traffic being diverted as far up as Grey Street and the Upper Esplanade was closed as firefighters used the fire hydrants on the far side of the road. Trams were stopped and traffic was diverted back around to Acland Street