FIRE GUTS STARS’ SURF SHED
Surfboard shaper to Mick Fanning, Steph Gilmore loses shed
THREE mates on their way to collect fishing gear have described how they tried to put out a blaze that tore through a business which makes surfboards for world champions such as Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore.
DHD Surfboards and Hot Rock Granite’s headquarters at a West Burleigh industrial estate were all but destroyed by flames just after 9am yesterday. Footage sent to the Bulletin shows flames ripping through the Rudman Pde factory, sparks from a nearby power pole flying and plumes of yellow and blue smoke filling the air.
Stewart Scott, 34, Chris Scheider, 33, and Shane Parata, 34, arrived at the complex to collect fishing gear from their storage shed when they saw the fire.
“I saw the smoke and then I kicked the door down with a hose. It was too much for me,” Mr Scott said. “I just thought of all the flammable liquids in there so we called the firies and got out of here.
“We were the only ones here. Normally there are people around. Imagine if we were not here, all of it would have gone up.
“If we didn’t see it, all of it would have been gone.”
DHD Surfboards, headed by veteran surfboard shaper Darren Handley, makes surfboards for world champions including Fanning and Gilmore
and top-ranked professional Owen Wright.
DHD is one of Australia’s leading surfboard manufacturers and a major worldwide exporter.
Hot Rock’s manager told the Bulletin the fire was “just devastating”.
“I haven’t been able to go in and see. We have milliondollar machines in there. It has been a hard morning.
“I am not sure about insurance. I just want to go in and see, then we will know more.”
More than 35 firefighters were called to battle the blaze. An exclusion zone was set up, out of fears of toxic smoke and the fire spreading.
Police and fire investigators have been sifting through the rubble to figure out how the blaze started.
Christine Deck saw the fire and said there was “blue and yellow smoke” coming from the roof of the destroyed building.
“People started wearing masks … we were locked up in the car … we didn’t smell it until later. It was very strong,” she told the Bulletin. “We were heading out to go to the Boxing Day sales … we saw a bit of fire and decided to go have a look. It was ferocious.
“The flames were quite high, the walls started collapsing, you could feel the heat, it was super, super hot.
“Then the transformers started to spark down the road from the fire, so we thought it was probably a good time to get out of there and away from power lines.”
Kimon Peters, who works at the complex, said it was “an emotional day”.
“When it hits one it hits us all, we are a family down here,” he said.