(Video taken at 9am on Monday, April 29)

Tom Law was woken by a text message from his mother at 2.55am today, Monday, April 29.

The laundromat on Walker Street, Casino was on fire.

Tom rushed to the CBD. His family owns Karams, a shop three doors down from the fire. Tom’s concern was for the six tenants living above the shop.

”By the time I got there, the fire was going from the laundromat into the Chinese Restaurant,” he said.

(The laundromat in Walker Street, Casino fully alight this morning. Photo taken at the back of the shop. Photo: Tom Law)

”The laundromat was fully lit. It was illuminated by the flames.”

Tom said he could see the flames coming through from behind the fridges at the front of the restaurant.

”A fireman came up and smashed the window to put the hose in.”

(Firefighters hosing the front of the buildings damaged by fire.)

Tom alerted the tenants and then messaged Christine from the Chinese Restaurant to tell her the restaurant was on fire.

Jaidyn Headford who lives above Karams was sitting in the car park behind the shops at 9am next to his cat Sunny who was safely in a cage.

Jaidyn said he was awake at 2am. He heard an alarm go off.

(Jaidyn Headford with cat Sunny and Tom Law in the car park behind Walker Street.)

”I heard noises on the roof and I thought it was a burglar,” he said.

Then he saw the smoke and alerted the other people living in the building. Then he dialled Triple Zero, he said.

Retained firefighter Shephard from Casino Fire and Rescue said there were about 15 crew on the ground fighting the blaze.

(Firefighters at the back of the laundromat.)

Walker Street would remain closed for most of the day, he said.

The biggest concern was damage at the front of the building collapsing.

”There were lots of gas bottles in both buildings,” he said.

Crews from Casino, Lismore, Ballina and Grafton assisted in fighting the blaze.

The Grafton crew brought a drone for “aerial advantage” firefighter Shephard said.

(The shop front of the laundromat on Walker Street. Photos: Susanna Freymark)

This story was thanks to Susanna Freymark at IndyNR in Casino. Check out IndyNR here.