Supermarket fire in Crestwood Dr, Goulburn treated as suspicious

Police Forensics were at the scene of the Crestwood shop fire this morning but a cause has not been released.

Goulburn Fire and Rescue station officer John Hughes said the blaze was well involved when crews arrived at about 3am. It took them three hours to control the outbreak.

“We also had to contend with a number of LPG cylinders (stored at the rear of the premises,” he said.

Mr Hughes said there was also stock left on shelves of the shop, which had been closed for at least 18 months.

Residents in the immediate area were evacuated as a precaution but their homes were not threatened.

Next door neighbours Ken and Dawn Bellingham were among them. Mr Bellingham said his neighbour over the road woke them at 2.50am after their daughter had noticed a “glow” coming from inside the shop. The neighbours contacted Fire and Rescue NSW.

“We ran around the back and grabbed the hose but of course that didn’t do any good. Then the Fire Brigade arrived,” Mr Bellingham told The Post. 

“The fire was thick and arid by that time.”

He said he was slightly concerned about his own home in the early stages, especially if the wind picked up. But with six firefighting vehicles and four hoses working, crews quickly got on top of the blaze.

By 4.15am, the couple was allowed back into their home.

The Bellinghams said the Fire Brigade was also called to a fire that had been lit on grass at the front of the shop on Christmas Eve.

Another neighbour, Ann Arthur, said she was awakened by sirens just after 3am.

“By that time all the fire vehicles and police were there. They were on to it pretty quickly,” she said.

“Flames were shooting up into the air. It seemed to have started from the residence and spread.”

Mrs Arthur said she was worried for elderly neighbours on either side of the shop but was soon reassured that firefighters had the upper hand.

“I think they’re pretty good,” she said.  

Friday 9am:

The Friendly Grocer or local supermarket, as it’s known to residents in Crestwood Drive, Goulburn was destroyed by a fire in the early hours of this morning.

The fire is being treated as suspicious, Goulburn Police acting inspector Matt Owen confirmed.

“We are investigating the fire at the moment,” he said.

Approximately 30 firefighters from Goulburn, Bundanoon, Moss Vale and Crookwell Fire and Rescue brigades were called out to the fire at around 3am on Friday, December 28.

On arrival, they found the old Crestwood supermarket alight.

It took around three hours for the firefighters to put out the flames.

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) Goulburn Support and Middle Arm brigades were also called out to assist Fire and Rescue with extinguishing and containing the fire.

Both the shop and adjoining four bedroom, two bathroom house were extensively damaged by the fire.

The property has been unoccupied for some time and no persons were injured.

The property was sold in 2013 for $600,000, according to realestate.com.au.

Kristy Whitney’s family ran the business for many years and said the news was “devastating to read.”

“My parents put such a huge effort into making it work,” Ms Whitney said. “We spent many years making wonderful relationships with the people of Crestwood, celebrating Christmas with children, bringing Easter fun and more.

“To see it now destroyed under suspicious circumstances is unfathomable.”

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