Arabic version: رجال الإطفاء يكافحون حريقاً بدرجة 500 مئوية في مطحنة أعلاف بكارديف

According to ABC News, dozens of firefighters are battling an intense fire at a feed mill in Cardiff, near Newcastle, after temperatures inside the facility reached 500 degrees Celsius.

Fire crews were called to the feed mill on Nelson Road just after 10am following an automatic fire alarm. Fire and Rescue NSW Lower Hunter zone commander James Manuao said the fire was found at the top of the dust extraction system. It began in a dust control vent and spread through exhaust ducts.

Up to 50 firefighters are working with engineers at the site. Four people were on site when crews arrived and were moved to safety. Mr Manuao said firefighters quickly attacked and doused the initial fire, but remained concerned that heat had travelled through ducting towards the grain grinder.

Crews are methodically working through the mill’s plumbing and piping system to locate and attack the fire. Mr Manuao said the original fire rose above 200C, while the temperature near the grinder, which firefighters had not yet reached, was about 500C. He said the temperature was no longer increasing.

Firefighters have established exclusion zones, are rotating crews and have shut off stormwater drains to prevent runoff entering the environment. The Environmental Protection Authority is being kept informed. Firefighters believe the blaze has not spread to other silos, while the cause is still too early to determine. Mr Manuao said bringing the fire under control would take several hours.