Authorities have described as devastating the loss of a historic building in Lismore over the weekend after a fire they say is suspicious.
Fire and Rescue crews from the Lismore area say they responded to reports of a building fire at the former Richmond River High School site in North Lismore around 6.30 Friday evening.
They say the high school’s main building was well alight by the time they arrived, with thick smoke and flames impacting adjoining structures.
Around 50 firefighters were on scene but it took around two and a half hours to contain the blaze with its intensity causing a building collapse at the front of the school, adding to the complexity of the operation.
Firefighters then turned their efforts to protecting adjoining buildings and extinguishing hotspots.
NSW Police set up a 150-metre exclusion zone, with road closures in place on Lake Street, Winterton Parade, Pitt Lane and Bridge Street, and the public was advised to avoid the area.
Crews rotated through the night and into the morning and used a drone to help identify and extinguish remaining hotspots.
Paramedics treated several firefighters for suspected dehydration and heat exhaustion, with one firefighter taken to hospital as a precaution and since released.
Authorities say the cause of the fire is unknown and is being treated as suspicious with investigations continuing.
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