Irene Schynol, 69, had all her possessions inside the storage unit on Old Gympie Road, in Burpengary.
Share this @internewscast.com

A homeless woman has lost everything she owns in a massive storage unit fire in Brisbane.

Irene Schynol, 69, had all her possessions inside the storage unit on Old Gympie Road, in Burpengary.

She told Today that she has been homeless for four years and sleeps in her car.

Irene Schynol, 69, had all her possessions inside the storage unit on Old Gympie Road, in Burpengary.
Irene Schynol, 69, had all her possessions inside the storage unit on Old Gympie Road, in Burpengary. (Nine)

She was left “devastated” when she learned about the fire. 

“I felt for everybody that had their belongings in there,” Schynol said.

”Everything is in there…I’ve been paying [for] storage so I wouldn’t have to go out and buy everything.

“When my sister passed away, I had a little bit of money and I went out and bought all the stuff that I ever needed.”

She told Today that she had pictures of her adopted baby, who passed away, inside the unit, as well as a novel she had been writing for years.

“It’s about starting again… I know that somehow I will be okay, somehow it’ll all just work out.

“At the moment, I’m just feeling in shock, to be honest.”

Up to 75 firefighters were battling the blaze, which broke out at the business on Old in Burpengary, at about 6pm last night.

“A large volume of smoke is affecting the surrounding area, including the Bruce Highway,” firefighters warned.

A fire broke out in a storage facility in Burpengary on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (9News)

Police implemented an urgent directive under the Public Safety Preservation Act roughly an hour late, impacting a fairly extensive area bordered by New Settlement, Pitt, Bellini, Twists, and Old Bay roads.

The police advised, “The public should steer clear of the area, and individuals within the restricted zone need to stay indoors and keep their windows shut until further updates are provided.”

“A number of roads in the area are being affected due to the large amount of smoke from the fire.”

Queensland Fire Department acting Inspector Daniel Rasmussen said it would be “quite a long night”.

Up to 75 firefighters were battling the blaze, which broke out at the business on Old Gympie Road, Burpengary, about 6pm last night. (9News)
Queensland Fire Department acting Inspector Daniel Rasmussen said it would be “quite a long night” in Burpengary on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (9News)

“This incident will likely be lengthy because of the building’s design and the storage facility’s complexity, with numerous rooms and various items within,” he explained.

He said the fire was in one half of the building, separated by a firewall and “got quite big, quite fast”.

“The firefighters have done a great job to contain the fire, stopping it to spread to the other buildings, stopping it to spread to the other half of the building that’s on fire, and to contain it so that when it does collapse, it’s not going to do any more damage to other buildings,” he said.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
FILE - This photo provided by the North Korean government, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, delivers a speech during a national meeting against the coronavirus, in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Aug. 10, 2022. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

Kim Jong Un’s Influential Sister States North Korea Has ‘No Desire’ for Dialogue with South Korea

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rebuffed an…
Blair Kinghorn and Finn Russell celebrate at full time after the win in Melbourne

Finn Russell Calls on Lions to Dominate and Aim for Clean Sweep Against Australia

FINN RUSSELL is encouraging the British and Irish Lions to conclude their…
Aussies to save $200 million with slash to medicine prices

Australians to Save $200 Million Thanks to Reduced Medicine Prices

Australians can hopefully expect their medicine bills slashed very soon as the…

Australian Boat Delivering Aid to Gaza Intercepted by Israeli Navy

A boat carrying activists, including two Australians, has been intercepted by Israeli…
'Biggest deal ever': Trump announces trade agreement with EU

Trump Declares Landmark Trade Agreement with EU

US President Donald Trump has announced that the US and the European…
Mornington Peninsula locals have lost a six-year fight to stop the development of a fast-food restaurant just metres away from the foreshore.

Residents Defeated in Battle Against McDonald’s in Coastal Suburb

Mornington Peninsula locals have lost a six-year fight to stop the development…

Israel Implements Daily Ceasefires in Gaza for Aid Deliveries via Airdrops

Israel announced a halt in military operations for 10 hours a day…
The motorsport community is mourning the death of lifetime member and former Supersports Champion Darren Barlow.

Motorsport Community Grieves 53-Year-Old Ex-Champion Killed in Tragic Accident

The motorsport community is mourning the death of lifetime member and former…

The Enigma of Tibet’s Disappeared Monk: 30 Years Later

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is one of the most famous missing persons in…

EU and US Reach Tariff Agreement to Prevent Escalating Trade Conflict

The United States reached a trade framework agreement with the European Union…
Federal government launches eeger

Government Allocates $10 Million to Jobseeker Platform Supporting Struggling Industries

The federal government has invested $10 million in a jobseeker platform aimed…
Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty before standing trial for perverting the course of justice.

“Outback Wrangler Denies Guilt in Helicopter Crash Case”

Three years after a fatal chopper crash, Matt Wright has pleaded not…