Huge fire at homemaker centre in Melbournes north causes millions of dollars in damage

A homemaker centre in Melbourne's north has been destroyed by a massive fire that cost millions of dollars to repair. As the fire raged near the junction of High and Cooper streets in Epping from 5 a.m. until it was put out about 8 a.m., more than 100 firemen were dispatched to tackle it. The fire disrupted traffic and led to smoke warnings in the neighbourhood. The centre of the flames was a Supercheap Auto store with a Cash Converters store right next to it. Both buildings were irreparably damaged, and an excavator was going to be used to tear them down. The fire's origin is still a mystery. Emergency personnel put up roadblocks and cordoned off a portion of High Street while they fought to put out the fire, which resulted in a considerable increase of traffic before rush hour. A warning message was also sent out, informing the neighbourhood of the heavy concentration of smoke in the region, however officials maintained the haze was not harmful.