Surry Hills fire update: two 13 year-old boys handed themselves in

By TILEAH DOBSON

Two 13 year-old boys have handed themselves in to the police in relation to the massive fire that tore through two heritage-listed buildings in Central Sydney.

A spokesperson for the NSW Police told City Hub that the two boys are now “assisting police with their inquiries into a suspicious building fire on Randle Street in Surry Hills yesterday (Thursday 25 May 2023), after attending Paddington and Kings Cross Police Stations.”

“Detectives attached to State Crime Command’s Financial Crimes Squad Arson Unit have taken [charge] of the investigation under Strike Force Strontium,” they said.

It’s been reported that a group of young people were seen fleeing from the building not long after the fire had started at 4 pm yesterday afternoon on Randle Street. 

While the two boys were not originally known to police, acting assistant commissioner Paul Dunstan has confirmed that the police are aware of “a further three or four other young people who were present during the fire.”

The fire, which had been raised to a “10th alarm” level, took more than 120 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters and 30 trucks from across Sydney to contain and extinguish it.

Firefighters managed to save several nearby buildings, including residential apartments and office blocks on the opposite side of the fire. FRNSW released a statement, outlining that a “small number of fire crews remain on-site, monitoring for potential flare-ups.”

“They are being assisted by FRNSW’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), or drones, which are helping pinpoint potential areas of concern,” the statement said.

“The NSW Police Arson Squad has taken over the investigation into the cause and circumstances of this incident. They are being assisted by FRNSW’s Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) and are also utilising FRNSW’s RPAS capabilities during this process.”

Residents Displaced

FRNSW acknowledges that due to the exclusion zone  being established around the vicinity of the scene, at least 50 residents have been displaced.

“The advice for anyone who has been displaced and has not yet registered should do so via [Red Cross],” they said.

“Occupants of 1-5 Randall Street are permitted access to gain personal possessions, through the Red Cross registration process, but are not able to stay in the building.”