Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) investigators have identified an electrical fault in a small fan heater as the cause of an explosion overnight in an industrial unit at Arndell Park in Sydney's west.
The blast tore a hole in a wall on the second level of the truck spare parts business in Holbeche Road around 1.30 this morning.
fire from spreading
FRNSW dispatched seven fire trucks and about 24 firefighters to the scene. On arrival, the firefighters were confronted with an intense fire venting out of the second-level windows.
Firefighters entered the building and stopped the fire from spreading to a warehouse area and adjoining industrial unit.
NSW Ambulance paramedics
Two firefighters were assessed by NSW Ambulance paramedics for minor smoke inhalation
Two firefighters were assessed by NSW Ambulance paramedics for minor smoke inhalation, as a precaution. They were not transported to the hospital and have since returned to duty.
FRNSW specialist fire investigators attended the scene now, deploying an ignitable liquid detection dog to examine the scene.
Investigators have determined the fire began in an office area on the second floor, ignited by an electrical fault.
glass and metal debris at the fire scene
'Xenos' the Ignitable Liquid Detection dog is one of three highly trained FRNSW canines, used to determine whether accelerants play a role in fires. Almost five years old, Xenos has worked with his handler, Station Officer, Craig Gordon, for the past three years.
Xenos wore special protective boots to prevent being cut by glass and metal debris at the fire scene. He detected no signs of accelerant, eliminating one possible cause of the blaze and allowing the Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) to focus on evidence relating to the electrical fault.
