Blaze damages historic Ayr pub

Fire has badly damaged a century-old pub at Ayr, south of Townsville in north Queensland.

Crews responded to the blaze at the Grand National Hotel in Ayr just after 9:00am (AEST).

When they arrived they found the 111-year old hotel's top level well alight.

Stephen Scuderi, who runs a neighbouring crash repair business, was one of the first to raise the alarm.

"I only seen the smoke billowing out of the back windows - once I saw smoke I just rang triple-0 straight away," he said.

Fire crews from as far as Townsville responded to the blaze, and most of the bottom section of the pub has been saved.

All people inside the building have been accounted for.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are underway.

Source: ABC News, 4 December 2012