NSW Fire & Rescue crews were responded to the historic Log Cabin Motel on the banks of the Nepean River in Penrith on the evening of March 9, 2012. On arrival they found a fire in a ceiling space caused by a down light. Approximately 100 persons were evacuated from the premises.
After initially calling for a 2nd alarm response, crews upgraded to a 3rd alarm with firefighting efforts hampered by an electrical supply that could not be isolated. The fire took hold in the roof space, with a further call for a 5th Alarm response. With the fire taking hold, crews were withdrawn from the building for safety and operations continued with aerial appliances and handlines from outside the building.
The fire caused significant damage to the building, and firefighters continued to work through the night to fully extinguish the blaze.