Fire at Dubbo Ambulance Station | Photos

The fire damaged “a number of vehicles”, according to NSW Ambulance Deputy Commissioner Mike Willis, but arrangements were in place to ensure there was no interruption to the emergency service.

Soon afterwards, NSW Ambulance moved to reassure local residents its triple zero response would not be affected.

“Until further notice, our paramedics will operate from the NSW Ambulance Divisional Office located next door to the station,” he said.

“Despite the damage to a number of vehicles, there is no compromise to our operational capability, with ambulances being drawn from nearby locations including the closely-located Dubbo Fleet Workshop.”

Neither NSW Ambulance staff nor firefighters were injured in the blaze.

“Staff are receiving support from senior NSW Ambulance officials,” Deputy Commissioner Willis said.

NSW Fire and Rescue Dubbo Station Officer Adam Wixx said firefighters were called to the site about 12.55am Sunday.

“We were initially notified by a member of the public who rang the doorbell at the fire station and said, ‘there’s a fire next door’,” he said.

“They had been walking along and seen a fire they thought might have been some rubbish alight or a grassfire.”

Shortly afterwards, more than a dozen firefighters from Dubbo and Delroy brigades were on the scene battling the blaze, which at this stage is believed to have started in the ambulance bay, Station Officer Wixx said.

He said loud bangs heard by residents were most likely the result of oxygen tanks exploding.

“One actually exploded and went through a door,” Station Officer Wixx said.

He said firefighters had to use a power saw to cut a hole in a roller shutter to gain access to the building.

“Crews wearing breathing apparatus entered and good work from them helped stop the fire from spreading to adjoining areas,” he said.

Station Officer Wixx said firefighters remained on scene for nearly three hours to contain the fire and secure the site.

The area was taped off and forensic officers spent Sunday at the scene gathering evidence to try to work out what caused the fire.