FIREFIGHTERS have declared victory on one front in their battle with the Wickham fire that caught Newcastle's attention on Tuesday, but the fighting continues.
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The fire, a monstrous blaze that raged to Fire and Rescue NSW's most severe category - a 10th alarm - was controlled after a four-hour wrestle.
But shortly after 9pm, firefighters said they had prevented it spreading into the Ampol fuel depot.
The site contained 8 million litres of fuel, Fire and Rescue NSW said, and was just metres away from the "very visible" fire that transfixed the city for several hours on Tuesday. .
Concerns of the fire spreading into that fuel source led authorities to evacuate residents of 50 houses and 200 units from Annie Street and the surrounding area.
Police said they were unlikely to be allowed home until at least Wednesday, with a nearby church turned into an evacuation centre.
At its height, the battle involved more than 100 firefighters and 30 trucks after the first crews arrived and helped 40 people evacuate from the storage warehouse.
Firefighters said the combined contents of storage units had hampered their efforts, allowing the fire to spread to a second building, but they had managed to stop it spreading any further.
"The inferno took four hours to bring under control, it remains contained to two of four large adjoining brick warehouses by crews from Newcastle's surrounding regions," Fire and Rescue NSW said in a statement.
"At the height of the fire, adjoining buildings and a large fuel storage tank farm nearby were under threat.
"Firefighters battled hard to prevent the fire from spreading to those properties.
"The adjacent depot features a number of very large tanks, containing more than eight-million litres of diesel and unleaded fuel."
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Crews will work deep into the night to extinguish the fire, but a significant risk of structural collapse in both buildings is hampering their efforts.
Its cause is yet to be officially determined, with focus also spreading to the structural integrity of the smouldering buildings.
The community has been warned to stay vigilant for the effects of smoke and to avoid the Annie Street area if at all possible.
"Residents in the local vicinity are advised to close their doors and windows and turn off air conditioning units while fire firefighting operations are underway," the service said in a statement.
Residents in the area are urged to take the following precautions:
- Anyone with respiratory conditions should limit their exposure to smoke outdoors
- If shortness of breath occurs, take reliever medicine or seek medical assistance
- Ensure windows and doors are closed to prevent smoke infiltration
- Removing any washing from clotheslines
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