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In Sydney’s western region, an intense factory blaze saw around 200 firefighters on the scene, with officials cautioning that the fire might continue for several days.
The alarm was raised at approximately 10.50 PM, drawing emergency teams to a waste management facility located on Kurrajong Street in North St Marys.
As the fire erupted, explosions echoed through the area, with some being powerful enough to be felt kilometers away in Penrith.
Witnesses reported a towering fireball, soaring 150 meters above the site.
Concrete debris was projected 150 meters into the sky, prompting authorities to advise residents to keep their windows and doors shut.
The blaze is expected to persist for days due to the hazardous materials fueling it at the recycling center.
Two firefighters were treated at the scene for minor burns, with fire crews being praised for their valiant efforts to contain the raging fire.
“There’s been some amazing firefighting going on,” Fire Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said.Â
“We’ve had an incredibly large explosion, and so luckily all of our firefighters were able to be safe through that.”
Large chunks of rock were thrown into the air in the initial explosion, hindering initial efforts to combat the massive blaze.
Explosions had continued throughout the morning, with locals warned to avoid the area and to keep their windows closed, as smoke continues to billow from the fire.
Drones with air monitoring devices were deployed giving fire crews eyes in the sky mapping out where the toxic fumes had spread.
Whilst the cause of the fire remains unknown at this stage, police are conducting their own investigations.
A 200 metre exclusion zone has been put in place, with motorists urged to avoid the area.
Firefighting has now been scaled back as investigations begin.