New Year's Eve festivities at a popular drive-in cinema south-east of Melbourne ended in an emergency situation after a fireworks display is believed to have ignited a significant grassfire.
Celebrations Turn Frantic as Flames Spread
Revellers gathered at the Dromana drive-in to welcome 2024 were met with a frantic turn of events just after midnight. A nearby field caught alight, with flames quickly spreading through grassland adjacent to the Nepean Highway. Fire crews and VicEmergency teams rushed to the scene, issuing urgent warning advice for local residents.
Authorities confirmed the incident was not under control initially, stating the grassfire was travelling in a northerly direction from the highway. "There is currently no threat to you, but you should stay informed and monitor conditions," was the official advice shared at the time.
Eyewitness Accounts and Emergency Response
One attendee, who was at the event with his children, told of the night being cut short. "Great firework show, although the night was cut short by a fire that started as a result from the fireworks," he said. A large emergency response was seen swarming the oval, with locals capturing images and videos of the blaze and sharing them on social media.
Fortunately, firefighters managed to bring the situation under control a short time later. VicEmergency later confirmed the fire had been put out and there were no active fires still burning in the Dromana area.
Second Fire on Melbourne CBD Rooftop
In a separate incident also linked to New Year's Eve pyrotechnics, emergency services were called to a rooftop fire at the Treasury building in Melbourne's CBD. Police reported they were called to the scene at approximately 9:45pm on New Year's Eve.
"The Treasury Place building’s rooftop is suspected to have caught fire following fireworks on New Year’s Eve," a police statement said. The fire was extinguished, resulting in minimal property damage. No injuries were reported in either fire, and authorities are not treating the Treasury blaze as suspicious.
