Town’s fire arcade to go
Torquay counts blaze cost
Torquay’s Gilbert St arcade will be demolished following a devastating fire that destroyed the premises of six businesses.
About 60 firefighters worked for more than three hours on Sunday night to battle the blaze, which ripped through the McCartney Real Estate, wool and fabric shop Looop, Italo’s Wood Fired Pizza, the Silver and Sea jewellery store, Romy Photography studio and Imelda’s Boutique.
Sabrina Kingsley, who has owned and operated the Silver and Sea Jewellery store for 24 years, said she was still in “disbelief” after the fire.
“The whole arcade will be demolished, it will be all gone, which is really sad because it had a beautiful ambience to it,” she said.
“I’ve never not loved it, it’s just a beautiful place to work every day, so to see it gone now is just a mess.
“It’s all glass and charred remains and it’s really depressing to see all the shops there gone.”
Ms Kingsley said she had been overwhelmed by the positive community response since the fire.
“They all want to help me get back on my feet again,” she said.
“They just said, ‘We can’t wait to see you up and running again and to support you’.” Romy Photography owner Romy Roache said the realisation her business was gone was now sinking in.
“There is lots of water damage and fire damage,” Ms Roache said.
“Nothing really could be salvaged to sell as such to the public.
“There was really nothing to survive from it, it’s really sort of starting from scrap again.
“Luckily my camera was at home and my hard drive was at home.
“I didn’t see this one coming, but I think the passion will keep driving me because I just love being by the ocean and sharing what I capture.
“Going forward, you just have to see what opens, I think.”
The Country Fire Authority said it was continuing to investigate the source of the fire, which was not being treated as suspicious.
It said investigations would take some time because of the extent of the damage.