Large fire at Little Saigon, Footscray

Residents urged to switch off air con

Motorists should avoid Footscray

Route 82 trams affected

UPDATE: CHRISTMAS presents collected by a charity and thousands of books have been destroyed in a fire at a Footscray market.

Trams were stopped and residents warned to stay indoors as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze at the Little Saigon Market.

The fire was brought under control shortly after 12pm.

Firefighters were called to the market about 6.05am after a fire had began in the coolroom of the two-storey building.

MFB Assistant Chief Fire Officer Martin Baird said he believed the fire was caused by a refrigerator.

media_camera Fire at Little Saigon market. Picture: Hamish Blair

media_camera More than 60 firefighters are battling the blaze. Picture: Hamish Blair

Mr Baird said 75 firefighters tackled the blaze from outside the building due to concerns of internal walls collapsing.

“We haven’t found asbestos inside the building but we’re taking precautions given the age of the building,” he said.

Staff were unpacking fresh produce ahead of the day’s trade when the fire alarm went off.

media_camera Social worker Les Twentyman watches the fire. Picture: Hamish Blair

About 6000 text books and Christmas presents collected by the Les Twentyman Foundation have been destroyed in the fire.

The books are part of the foundation’s back-to-school program, which has run for the past 26 years.

Les Twentyman said: “It’s not just a building that’s gone but people’s livelihood in a critical time.”

Thick smoke from the fire blew across the western suburbs.

media_camera Residents in the area should stay indoors. Picture: Hamish Blair

media_camera No-one is believed to be injured in the fire. Picture: Hamish Blair

A Watch and Act message was issued for Footscray and Seddon.

People in the area were urged to close all exterior doors, windows and vents and turn off airconditioners.

Roads in the area were closed with motorists urged to seek alternate routes.

Route 82 trams were also affected, with commuters urged to take buses instead.

“My heart goes out to he traders particularly in this busy time of year,” Mr Baird said.

Lam Huundat, who’s brother owns the complex, said he was devastated by the fire and doesn’t know the extent of the damage to his shop located inside the building.

“It’s so terrible,” he said.

“I got the phone call from my brother this morning that there was a fire, so sad.”

Another shop owner, who did not want to be named, said he was forced to sleep in his car to pay for his shops renovations.

“Everything is gone, everything I’ve worked for,” he said.

media_camera Thick black smoke from the fire is blowing across the west. Picture: Hamish Blair

media_camera An aerial view of the fire. Picture: Jimmy Traffic Twitter

media_camera Picture: Hamish Blair media_camera Picture: Hamish Blair

Fire crews smashing their way into Little Saigon Market in Footscray. No reports of injuries or people injured. @3AW693 pic.twitter.com/QswhQYJCMF — Pat Mitchell (@patty_mitchell) December 12, 2016

Earlier more than $250,000 damage was caused to a Meadow Heights home which caught fire this morning.

It took firefighters 30 minutes to control the blaze which had erupted inside the single-story brick veneer home on Bi Centennial Crt in Melbourne’s west.

The home has been severely damage but vacant at the time of the incident.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.

brittany.shanahan@news.com.au