A FIRE roared through a furniture factory in Melbourne’s south-east today, damaging four neighbouring businesses and closing one of Melbourne’s busiest highways in peak hour.

Fire crews were called to the premises on the Princes Highway at Dandenong shortly before 5.15pm.


When they arrived, they found the building well alight, fed by timber, foam, adhesives and materials, including vinyl furniture, a Country Fire Authority spokesman said.

The Princes Highway was closed in both directions between Heatherton and Gladstone roads under a blanket of smoke, throwing traffic throughout the south-east into chaos.

More than 60 CFA and Metropolitan Fire Brigade firefighters were on the scene at the height of the fire, which was contained about 6.30pm.

Twenty-five fire trucks, including 10 pumpers and three aerial units, were used.

“The fire has affected four neighbouring factories but it has been contained to the first one,” the spokesman said.

“One firefighters has been taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation.”

There were no further injuries.
– AAP