Massive fire hits historic pub in Brisbane, Australia

Posted by Craig Kanalley on 6/04/09 • Categorized as Oceania

Per the Brisbane Times, a serious fire damaged “heritage-listed” Norman Hotel in Brisbane suburb Woolloongabba, Australia, on Friday afternoon. The pub and famous steak house was undergoing renovations for its 120th anniversary in October. Sparks from an angle grinder is thought to have caused the fire. One man was injured and hundreds were evacuated.

ABC in Australia reports that firefighters responded quickly and the building was spared of “major fire damage.”

Some Twitterers in Brisbane were closer to the scene than others and tweeted their immediate observations:

girlclumsy (Brisbane, Australia) Massive fire at the Norman Hotel in Woolloongabba. AVOID LOGAN ROAD – chaos on scene at the moment. 05 Jun 2009 from TwitIQ

nigeynige (Brisbane, Australia) Can see smoke & news choppers from East Brisbane. RT @jg_rat & @bartman6: Confirmed. Fire at Norman Hotel http://bit.ly/YbCBl 05 Jun 2009 from Tweetie

sarapear (Brisbane, Australia) Can’t believe the Norman Hotel is on fire… we can smell it from here and it smells like burning timber mixed with damn fine steak! 05 Jun 2009 from web

jessamyne (Brisbane, Australia) The Norman hotel is on fire!! http://tiny.cc/Ft5JB I have friends who work there, hope they’re ok (they’re not answering their phones …) 05 Jun 2009 from web

henrystones (Brisbane, Australia) norman hotel fire. i was there, just without an iphone so i had to wait until i got back to say I saw the fire before it was cool 05 Jun 2009 from web

Other Brisbane Twitterers expressed disbelief and sadness about the incident at the famous pub.

jamesworrell (Brisbane, Australia) I could cry. Norman Hotel is on fire. Could have gone a beer and a steak too. 05 Jun 2009 from Chirpr

benhafner (Brisbane, Australia) Oh no the Norman Hotel got hit by a fire punch … Life is sad… 05 Jun 2009 from txt

adamjohndoyle (Brisbane, Australia) that rain is a little late for the Norman Hotel. 05 Jun 2009 from web

jbhewitt (Brisbane, Australia) Is so sad his favorite steak house the. Norman has burnt down it smelt like wood burning LOL 05 Jun 2009 from Twitterrific