‘History lost’: Buildings razed by fire in The Rock’s main street

A MAJOR fire has ripped through multiple buildings in the heart of The Rock, southwest of Wagga, destroying a piece of the town’s history and sparking a large-scale emergency response.

The blaze is believed to have ignited inside the town’s former Tinnocks Garage on Urana Street shortly after 9am on Monday, with the first triple-zero calls received around 9.15am.

The fire quickly took hold of the structure, located just two doors down from the Town Hall and Museum, before spreading to a smaller adjoining building.

The incident triggered a major emergency response, with a fleet of appliances from both the Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW deployed from across the Riverina.

At least half a dozen RFS brigades from The Rock, Forest Hill, Uranquinty, Glenfield, Yarragundry and Lake Albert responded, supported by multiple Fire and Rescue NSW units.

Crews battled the inferno for hours, with firefighting operations continuing well into the afternoon.

Photo: Sarah Bourne

The RFS’ Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) was also deployed to monitor the situation from above, improving situational awareness and firefighter safety.

Firefighters have been praised for their efforts, with their actions credited for saving the historic Town Hall and a neighbouring house.

However, the former garage and its contents — along with the smaller brick building next to the hall — were completely destroyed.

The NSW Rural Fire Service described the operation as “protracted,” with crews expected to remain on site overnight.

Photo: NSW RFS

NSW Police and Ambulance services also attended the scene. Despite the scale of the blaze and its proximity to key community landmarks, no injuries were reported.

Local resident Ree Alice, whose uncle Doug Tinnock once owned the garage, described the fire as a heartbreaking loss.

“I loved that old garage. It held so many interesting things,” she said.

“Uncle Doug very patiently explained how they all worked and what they did. How sad for the building, and for the town’s history.”

An early undated photo of the former Tinnock Garage | Photo: Supplied/Ben Tinnock

Other locals shared their grief over the loss of the building, which had long stood as a symbol of The Rock’s working past.

“It’s a piece of The Rock’s history gone,” one resident said. “It’s part of our town’s story.”

A towering column of thick, black smoke rose into the sky — a plume so vast it could be seen from more than 60 kilometres away in Junee.

Residents of The Rock, home to around 1,300 people, were advised to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed during the emergency.

Foodworks, located in the same street just metres from the scene, was also advised to close as a precaution.

Smoke from the fire could be seen in Junee, more than 60km away | Photo: Supplied

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Investigations are expected to begin once the site is declared safe.

Authorities are continuing to urge the public to avoid the area while emergency services remain on scene.