A woman was forced to jump to safety from her first floor apartment when fire tore through a Clarke Street furniture store.
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Emergency services were called to La-Z-Boy Gallery, part of the Turners Furniture One complex, at about 6.30am on Saturday morning with the fire well ablaze.
Police said the 23-year-old woman was helped to safety from her burning apartment by passersby after becoming trapped inside and unable to exit the premises downstairs.
Witnesses who had a large van drove it underneath the apartment and the resident jumped from her landing to the van.
She was already free from the blaze when emergency services arrived at the scene.
The woman was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation by paramedics and then taken to Young Hospital for observation.
NSW Fire and Rescue reported the fire was out just before 11am but fire crews were still putting hot spots out at 12.30pm.
Young NSW Fire and Rescue Captain Don Smyth said it took fire crews hours to fully contain the blaze.
“It was pretty awkward to penetrate; the smoke was too thick to go in even with breathing apparatus, he said.
“We were very cautious… the roof and the floor eventually caved in.”
One firefighter was treated by paramedics for heat exhaustion on the scene, after battling the blaze for a number of hours.
Emergency services reported the owner was “distraught”.
Captain Smyth praised the efforts of the emergency services, with fire crews from Cootamundra, Harden, Grenfell, Boorowa and Temora in helping contain the blaze.
A number of Rural Fire Service trucks assisted with the fire.
Extra breathing apparatus came in from Goulburn.
“The boys did a great job at this fire - all their training came in and their teamwork really showed.”
Captain Smyth said fire investigators from Goulburn were already on the scene by Saturday morning.
On Saturday afternoon, Sergeant Kristen Marshall said the fire was under investigation and police would remain on the scene for some time.
Detectives and arson investigators had been called to determine the cause of the blaze.
Sniffer dogs were expected at the site Saturday afternoon.
She said Woolworths - being the only store open at the time of the blaze - was the only store to be evacuated.
Owner of nearby flooring store Choices, Jamie Callaghan, was on the scene early Saturday morning.
“It didn’t look real good at all… but the main thing is everyone is okay,” he said.
Firefighters said the surrounding stores suffered smoke, water and heat damage.
Earlier:
12.45: A woman trapped by the fire was helped to safety by two passers by.
The woman - who lives in an apartment above the store - had to exit the building from the first floor with the help of bystanders who drove a van for her to jump on to.
She was treated by paramedics on the scene and taken to Young Hospital for observation.
10.58: The blaze has been extinguished which destroyed the building.
Surrounding buildings have smoke, water and heat damage.
9.41: MULTIPLE fire and rescue crews have contained out of control blaze at a furniture shop in Young.
La-Z-Boy Gallery has been severely damaged in the fire.
NSW Fire and Rescue said there was a partial roof collapse.
NSW fire and rescue services reached the Lovell Street furniture store early this morning.
8.00: Firefighters are working hard to stop the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.
The building has been severely damaged.
Police and fire services are investigating the cause of the blaze.
