UPDATE 11am

Power is still out to 118 homes in South Lismore.

Photo of the destroyed homes. Photo: Mark Bailey

ORIGINAL STORY

About 5.30am today (Saturday, 19 July 2025), emergency services responded to reports of two houses on fire in Union Street, South Lismore.

NSW Fire and Rescue extinguished the blazes.

Officers from Richmond Police District have established a crime scene.

Initial inquiries have indicated that the fire commenced in one home and spread to the premises next door.

Both premises were abandoned homes and have been completely destroyed.

There are no reports of any injuries.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this stage.

Due to the fire, the phone network has been impacted in parts of Lismore and there are power outages for parts of South Lismore and North Lismore. Some businesses in the affected area will be closed today, like Southside Hot Bread.

As inquiries continue, police are urging anyone with information about the fires – or was in the area at the time with any available dashcam/mobile phone footage – to contact Lismore Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.