{"id":162485,"date":"2016-11-06T09:42:00","date_gmt":"2016-11-05T23:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=162485"},"modified":"2020-10-01T13:15:32","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T03:15:32","slug":"swickers-fire-stuns-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/11\/06\/swickers-fire-stuns-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Swickers Fire Stuns Community"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dark smoke billows above the burning Swickers’ building on Sunday morning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

November 6, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Police blocked Kingaroy-Barkers Creek Road – and onlookers were asked to stay away – after a large fire broke out on Sunday morning at Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory.<\/p>\n

There were fears that burning chemicals could cause issues for people close to the fire.<\/p>\n

However, a QFES specialist team took air samples throughout the morning, and declared the area safe in the early afternoon.<\/p>\n

The fire, which is not believed to be suspicious, broke out just before 8:00am in the main Swickers building fronting Kingaroy-Barkers Creek Road.<\/p>\n

This is the boning area.<\/p>\n

southburnett.com.<\/strong>au understands that while there was pork product in the building, there were no live animals in this area.<\/p>\n

Firefighters smashed in a door on one side of the building to get to the flames, while others cut a lock off a gate to improve their access.<\/p>\n

An exclusion zone was set up by the Queensland Police Service about 8:45am to prevent spectators from coming too close to the fire.<\/p>\n

As black smoke billowed from the building, a QFES spokesman warned nearby residents to close their windows and doors, and if\u00a0suffering from a respiratory condition, to keep medications close by.<\/p>\n

At the height of the blaze, nine fire trucks (pumps) and a ladder truck were in attendance as well as a command vehicle and a scientific team.<\/p>\n

[More fire photos and video below]<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and Officer-in-Charge of Kingaroy Police Senior Sergeant Duane Frank after the Local Disaster Management Group meeting on Sunday afternoon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking after a meeting of the Local Disaster Management Group on Sunday afternoon, Officer-in-Charge of Kingaroy Police, Senior Sergeant Duane Frank, said firefighters had done an excellent job to confine the fire to the boning room.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

He said firefighters would remain at the building overnight to monitor the site.<\/p>\n

Snr Sgt Frank said there was only a minimum of Swickers staff on duty when the fire began, and fortunately no one was injured.<\/p>\n

Police would launch an investigation into the cause of the fire, working alongside the QFES and Workplace Health and Safety.<\/p>\n

One aspect that would be examined would be whether an electrical fault sparked the fire.<\/p>\n

He said monitoring equipment could help the investigation.<\/p>\n

“CCTV cameras were in operation at the time,” Snr Sgt Frank said.<\/p>\n

He said there were now no concerns for anyone living locally despite the thick, black cloud of smoke. The exclusion zone would be lifted about 6:00pm.<\/p>\n

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