The impact of yesterday’s Barangaroo blaze on the construction of the precinct has yet to be ascertained, as experts confirmed a welding spark may have been at fault.
The fire, which began in a building basement in the construction zone yesterday at around 2pm, continued to rage through the night with emergency services fighting to get it under control.
Fears it would cause a 50m crane to topple have since been alleviated with engineers confirming it is structurally sound.
Traffic chaos wreaked by the inferno yesterday also eased this morning with the Western Distributor open during peak rush hour.
However, what remains to be seen is the effect of the fire on the ongoing construction work in the area which is set to house James Packer’s controversial new “six-star” casino and hotel resort.
Workers union, the CFMEU, told the Sydney Morning Herald that the fire is likely to push the construction effort back by months.
However, Lend Lease chief operating officer Dan Labbad could not give any indication of the expected delay or the potential cost. However, he told the Daily Telegraph that a full investigation into the blaze will be undertaken to determine its cause.
