Following a significant fire that yesterday partially destroyed a supermarket in Adelaide, two youths have been charged with arson.
Around 2pm, a ball of flames exploded in the Woolworths aisles in Stirling, an Adelaide Hills hamlet, forcing customers and employees to flee.
The cost of the damage has already increased to at least $25 million as the size of the fire is understood.
The blaze, which had flames so strong they tore through portions of the popular grocery store’s roof, required the assistance of close to 100 firemen.
Just a few metres away from the eruption, one staff member was at work.
Woolworths employee Leela stated, “All the alarms went off, blaring, and I can see the column of flames shoot right up.”
No one was hurt during the safe evacuation of the staff and clients.
Firefighters had to battle the ferocious blaze from the ground and above, and it took them hours to do so.
Two 14-year-old boys were detained today and accused with setting fires. They’ve been given bail and are expected to show up in Mount Barker Youth Court in December.
Fire investigators are still trying to figure out what started the fire, however several witnesses claimed the teenagers were experimenting with aerosol cans.
Woolworths said in a statement that “all team members and customers were evacuated from the store safely.To the emergency personnel on the site, we would want to say thank you.
