bɹˈɪsbən kˈɜːɹiɚ dᵻskɹˈaɪbd ðə fˈaɪɚɹ æz "ðə hˈoʊl ʌvðə bˈɪznəs pɹˈɛmɪsᵻz ænd pɹˈaɪvət ɹˈɛzᵻdənsᵻz...wɜː, ɪn ɐ kˈʌpəl ʌv ˈaʊɚz, ɹᵻdˈuːst tʊ ɐ hˈiːp ʌv ɹˈuːɪnz".
Brisbane Courier described the fire as "the whole of the business premises and private residences...were, in a couple of hours, reduced to a heap of ruins".