More information on Goulburn's Kenmore Hospital fire has come to light.
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Police said that the intense fire on Saturday, October 16 was being treated as suspicious.
Fire and Rescue NSW were notified of the fire at the abandoned psychiatric facility at about 4pm and, upon arrival, saw the building was well alight.
Fire and Rescue NSW inspector Dean Campbell said the roof structure of the former female section of the asylum, now known as ward 15, was completely on fire.
"When we arrived, the roof structure was being consumed really quickly," Mr Campbell said.
"All the eaves had collapsed so we couldn't have any firefighters close.
"If one of the big heavy slate tiles fell on their head, they would have been in big trouble.
"The fire spread through to a walkway in between a few of the buildings.
"We concentrated on cutting out the fire in that area or it would have damaged a couple of other buildings.
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At one stage, about 50 personnel from the Goulburn, Crookwell and Moss Vale fire stations, as well as nearby Rural Fire Services crews like Parkesbourne, Towrang, and Middle Arm, were at the scene.
Also at the scene was senior constable detective Tom Pollock from the Goulburn Criminal Investigation team, who waited for the firefighters to finish their job.
"The building itself is a crime scene," Detective Pollock said.
"Specialist police will attend either tonight or tomorrow in order to conduct a forensic examination of the building to ascertain where the fire started and how it started."
NSW Ambulance crews were also at the scene in case there were any issues with smoke inhalation or other injuries to the firefighters.
Yesterday, historian Phil Leighton-Daly lamented the latest blaze.
"It's disgraceful that nothing has been done beforehand (to prevent this happening)," he said.
Mr Leighton-Daly has raised concerns in the past few years about "neglect" of buildings in the state significant site, the core buildings of which were designed by Walter Liberty Vernon from 1895.
Xiao Liang Wen of Australia China International Holdings Pty bought the property in 2015. It was sold by the state government to another company, Longreach Capital Pty Ltd, in 2003 and has passed through several different owners since.
In November, 2020, the NSW Heritage Office commenced a "compliance investigation" of the site to ensure the owner was meeting minimum obligations surrounding the property's safety and security.
It followed representations by Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman to Arts Minister, Don Harwin, on the back of community concerns.
Burney Wong
I love sport. You can reach me at burney.wong@austcommunitymedia.com.au or on 0437 291 518.
I love sport. You can reach me at burney.wong@austcommunitymedia.com.au or on 0437 291 518.
