At 3.30am on Wednesday, May 10, 2006, several alerts were made, by phone and automatic alarm, reporting that the 149-year-old, Historic St Barnabas Anglican Church on Broadway, Sydney, was burning.
Over 60 fire fighters attended, evacuating 300 residents from the adjoining Uni Lodge building without injuries.
Superintendent Chris Jurgeit reported using ten pumping appliances and three ladder trucks in the battle to prevent the flames from spreading. Unfortunately the church and the church hall were severely damaged.
Allan Smith of EIG-Ansvar Insurance said that although many are talking of demolishing the buildings and levelling the site, it was too early to announce such measures.
“We’ll wait until the structural engineers have carried out their inspections before making any such decisions,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Fire Department is continuing to dowse any smouldering areas and will wait for the site to cool down before sending in K9 accelerant dogs to sniff for chemicals and the Forensic Team is on location, ready to move in.
Already, floral tributes have appeared from those concerned at the loss of such an outstanding landmark, placed in the railing fence facing busy Parramatta Road, Broadway.
St Barnabas was known in earlier days for its “ongoing sign board battle” with the nearby Broadway Hotel directly opposite. The signs changed regularly, much to the amusement of passers by. The Column 8 section of the Sydney Morning Herald has quoted several such slinging matches, including one at Christmas. St Barnabas stated: “Wise men came to Jesus – they still do.” To which the Hotel retorted: “Wise drinkers come to Broadway – they still do”.
It was in this church that many outstanding ministers shared the message of the gospel with university students from the nearby University of Sydney, as well as the many homeless of the area.
One outstanding person to respond was Arthur Stace, “Mr Eternity” who attended an outreach event, conducted by Canon RBS Hammond, serving rock cakes and tea. Afterwards he went to the nearby park, gave his heart to the Lord and Sydney has not been the same since!
On the church’s website (http://www.barneys.org.au/index.html#welcome) is the announcement: “The building is gone, but the Church lives on”