A barge caught fire in Sydney's inner west on Saturday morning, prompting an emergency response and sending thick smoke across the city.
Emergency services were called to Rozelle Bay near Sydney Harbour around 10:30 a.m. after receiving reports of a barge engulfed in flames. NSW Police indicated that officers suspect gas canisters on board may have ignited.
Fire Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Superintendent Kevin Smith stated that 20 firefighters from five stations responded to the incident. "FRNSW was able to have firefighters on scene and investigating that incident within eight minutes of receiving those Triple-Zero calls," Smith said.
Fortunately, the occupant of the barge was not on board at the time of the fire and sustained no injuries. FRNSW crews were transported to the barge by a NSW Police boat to conduct final fire suppression and search operations. Social media images showed flames engulfing the vessel and later, a dark cloud of smoke billowing over Sydney.
