Compass Pools at Tomago and Salisbury Retreat in Barrington Tops still trading despite expensive blazes

Forensic police remained on scene on Sunday to confirm a cause of the blaze, which destroyed a storage shed, granny flat and three cars at the Williams Valley retreat.

Owners Joe and Phillippa Augl were woken about 2am by noise from the fire, which was in a shed well away from empty accommodation areas.

“We were lucky; our son was staying in there for a while but he had gone fishing,’’ Mrs Augl said.

“We will no doubt dust ourselves off, pick ourselves up and start working again.’’

Mrs Augl said the three cars, granny flat and equipment lost in the storage shed was worth about $500,000.

Port Stephens detectives are investigating the blaze.

Meanwhile, the chief executive officer of Compass Pools Australia said it was business as usual despite a large fire which engulfed a stores shed at the company’s Tomago site on Friday night.

Up to 20 fire crews took more than eight hours to extinguish the fire, which was sparked by a switchboard catching alight.

Security cameras have shown the spark which gradually grew before it spread throughout the stores building, which contained a forklift and a range of materials.

Police said a female angler returning from a fishing trip at Stockton was the first to see the smoke and flames coming from the site about 11.30pm and called authorities.

The fire was contained to the single shed, with seven other buildings, including the two-storey office building, escaping any damage.

Compass Pools Australia chief executive officer Anthony Cross praised fire crews for containing the blaze to the one shed, and for moving one of the company’s trucks away from the blaze before it was also lost.

Mr Cross said although the fire would be an inconvenience, there was no damage to any pools and no loss to sales or production, which was due to continue as planned on Sunday night.