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Flames shoot across the sky as blaze engulfs Melbourne church

A Melbourne kindergarten has been gutted by fire after a blaze swept through an old South Yarra church.

Fire Rescue Victoria crews took about an hour to contain the fire early on Thursday at the old Presbyterian church on Punt Road, in Melbourne’s inner-south.

The building is the site of Christ Church Grammar School kindergarten.

Christ Church deputy principal Keith Newman said several rooms were destroyed in the fire but no one was injured.

“The staff are really devastated over it,” Mr Newman told the ABC on Thursday.

“It’s hit quite hard.

“Our kindergarten is a really beautiful part of our school … and our families love coming here and so do our students.”

The normally busy Punt Road was closed between Toorak Road and Commercial Road, causing major traffic delays in the area. Drivers were urged to avoid the area if possible.

Christ Church Grammar will be closed on Thursday, as will the neighbouring South Yarra Primary School.

FRV said 60 firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control, with more than 10 appliances on scene.

Residents within a kilometre were warned to beware of embers being produced by the fire.

A watch and act warning was issued just before 7am for Albert Park, Cremorne, Melbourne, Prahran, Richmond, South Melbourne, South Yarra and Windsor.

It was downgraded to an advice alert just after 8am.

Fire investigators are working to determine the cause of the blaze.

-with AAP

Topics: victoria
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