In the latest of a series of fires in Lismore, the elegant old Masonic Temple on Magellan Street burned down overnight.
Firefighters were alerted that the historically significant wooden and steel building was ablaze at 4am, with multiple crews attending.
Police say the fire spread to an adjoining building on Magellan Street, with Fire and Rescue NSW teams from Lismore, Goonellabah, Coraki, Alstonville and Mullumbimby attending the scene.
The fire was extinguished about 6am but both buildings were destroyed, with only the facade of the Masonic Temple remaining intact.
Built early in the early 20th century, the building was used as a theatre training and dance studio in recent years, with hundreds of children being educated there, and many props and costumes reportedly stored on site.
No one appears to have been injured or killed in the fire.
Police say a crime scene has now been established on-site; once deemed safe it will be examined by Scene of Crime officers and specialist fire investigators in an effort to determine the cause of the fire.
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