The management of an iconic Queensland pub which was destroyed in a blaze on Wednesday have spoken about the “catastrophic loss”.
Emergency services were called to Falvey’s Sundowner Saloon at Haigslea at 8.25am after a fire ripped through the venue.
It is the second time the Warrego Highway pub has caught fire in 20 years, but the owners have already vowed to rebuild.
“We’ve suffered a catastrophic loss this morning but our team is safe and that’s all that matters right now,” an online post from Sundowner’s management said.
“We don’t know when exactly but rest assured the little pink pub with a BIG Bundy bottle will be back!
“P.S. Special thanks to the emergency services – it’s a tremendous job they do!”
Six crews worked to battle the huge blaze with smoke seen billowing from the property.
Kira Woodcroft was at a nearby business when the fire started.
“We could smell smoke and we’ve come outside and there was a whole bunch of smoke coming from the pub,” she said.
“I then called triple-0 to make sure fire services were on the way.
“There was a small fire around the back of the pub and then it just got engulfed.
“The smoke was pretty bad inside the service centre and police officers came in and told us to evacuate.
“It’s pretty scary and quite sad for the pub.”
Angel Kirkwood was also at a nearby business when the fire started.
“I’ve walked outside and could just see the smoke,” she said.
“It was just constant and really strong.”
Ms Kirkwood said she felt for the pub’s owners.
“I actually served one of the employees moments before it happened,” she said.
“My thoughts are with them.”
The building and surrounding properties were evacuated about 8.45am and two people were assessed by paramedics with smoke inhalation.
The building suffered a partial roof collapse, and a Queensland Ambulance spokesman said a man in his 20s was taken to Ipswich Hospital with smoke inhalation.
The Queensland Fire Department said the blaze was brought under control by 9.30.
A motorist who was driving past described the blaze as “f***ing cooked”.
“The Sundowner, burning down, gone,” the motorist said.
“I had planned on having lunch here today but she’s f***ed.”
QFD Acting Inspector Dan Skellern said multiple triple-zero calls were made over the devastating blaze, which took significant resources to extinguish.
“On arrival, crews were confronted with thick black smoke emanating from the building,” he said Thursday afternoon.
“We had to allocate significant resources to combat that fire due to the fuel loads internally.
“We’ve had approximately six fire appliances and two specialist appliance on site to manage this incident.”
Acting Inspector Skellern said that a staff member managed to escape the blaze.
“There was one staff member on site at the time of the fire, and another staff member arrived shortly after the fire started.
“The staff member self-evacuated prior to our arrival.
“The fire has caused significant damage inside the structure, there has been partial structural collapse of the roof.”
A Fire Investigation Unit has been deployed to investigate the cause of the blaze.
A Queensland Police spokesman earlier said the BP next to the Sundowner had shut down their pumps due to safety reasons.
Police on Thursday afternoon said a crime scene was established while investigations continue into the cause of the blaze.
It is the second time the pub has been gutted by fire throughout the past 20 years.
At time, in 2010, the hotel sustained major damage after it had recently finished a renovation.
There has been a hotel at the Haigslea site since 1870.
The pink hotel and big Bundy Rum bottle is a rustic country pub that will “take you back in time to the old west”, a statement on its website reads.