Sydney blaze hits N.S.W. Rugby

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32568, 30 March 1971, Page 17

Sydney blaze hits N.S.W. Rugby

(ft’.Z. Press Assn.—Copyrightl SYDNEY. March 29.

A fire lasting almost two hours severely damaged all five floors of Rugby Union House, Sydney, last night.

Offices on the first floor were occupied by the Australian Rugby Union, New South Wales Rugby Union. Sydney Rugby Union, and N.S.W. Country Rugby Union.

The building is owned by the licensed Rugby Union Club, which has a bar on the ground floor and a barlounge and. dining-room on the third.

The Amateur Swimming Association of New South Wales rented the second floor while the fourth was let to private corrtoanies. The premises were empty and secure!? locked before the fire begat about 11 p.m# Firemen had to force interior doors to Sght die blaze from inside.

The blaze ia a severe blow to Rugby, officials of which face the opening of the season on Saturday and two overseas tours. The unions will move immediately to temporary office accommodation offered to them in Shell House. "The fire could not have come at a worse time,” Mr John Suhan, secretary of the Sydney Rugby Union, said today. "There’s so much paper work to be done for Saturday’s games, and we

don’t know yet what records and equipment are salable, and what are not.” Unofficial estimates are that it will take at least three months to repair the building if major structural rebuilding is not required.