BY JAMES WILKINSON
The heritage-listed Diamant Canberra has been spared from significant damage in a huge blaze that destroyed an adjacent building yesterday afternoon (June 23).
The fire was believed to have started in a pizza oven at 4:00pm yesterday in the adjacent Flint Restaurant and quickly engulfed the entire heritage building. Flint was incinerated, as were the popular Parlour Wine Room and Bicicletta eateries next door.
According to the latest media reports, the fire was largely contained by a firewall, meaning the adjacent Diamant Hotel – that features two wings, one on either side of the now destroyed restaurant and Molonglo Group head office building – was saved from what could have been an even greater inferno.
No staff or guests were injured in the blaze which took 20-minutes to engulf the entire building and the property’s owner, Molonglo Group has vowed to re-build the boutique hotel.
In a statement released last night, Molonglo Group Managing Director Nectar Efkarpidis also thanked emergency services teams for their efforts.
“We are grateful and relieved that nobody was hurt and we would like to thank the authorities and the people of New Acton who responded so quickly to the fire,” he said.
Speaking exclusively to HM today (June 24), 8Hotels CEO Paul Fischmann said “we think the hotel will be okay”.
ACT Police said one of the buildings containing hotel rooms remained intact, but up to 85% of another building, home to several food and beverage outlets, was damaged.
Stay tuned to HM for further updates.