![Despite their best efforts firefighters were not able to save Wagga Dry Cleaners after it went up in flames on Wednesday. Picture by Les Smith Despite their best efforts firefighters were not able to save Wagga Dry Cleaners after it went up in flames on Wednesday. Picture by Les Smith](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/JEQDf2CFmqVGDcvEsZPwEY/e5b8a082-157d-492f-add0-9a13b42bbc89.jpg/r0_0_4859_3995_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Support is flowing in for a husband and wife after a fire tore through their business in central Wagga on Wednesday night, leaving it in ruins.
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Firefighters descended Wagga Dry Cleaners on Morgan Street as it went up in flames about 9pm on Wednesday following multiple calls to triple zero.
Just a few doors down Sarah Elizabeth Hair and Beauty owner Sarah Harmer was working a late shift when she noticed a large amount of smoke issuing from the premises.
![Despite their best efforts firefighters were not able to save Wagga Dry Cleaners after it went up in flames on Wednesday. Picture by Les Smith Despite their best efforts firefighters were not able to save Wagga Dry Cleaners after it went up in flames on Wednesday. Picture by Les Smith](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/JEQDf2CFmqVGDcvEsZPwEY/0e9cf7a2-2337-476f-a264-aec548d4262a.jpg/r0_0_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I was still at work and at about 9.30pm I noticed all of the smoke," she said.
Miss Harmer has been running her business at the Morgan Street site for 15 years and said the surrounding, locally-run businesses had been well established on the strip before she moved in.
While they have been neighbours for more than a decade, they hadn't had much to do with each other before the tragedy.
"It makes you have a new empathy for each other, it makes you think more about checking in on each other more often," she said.
The night of the disaster the owners of the surrounding businesses including Miss Harmer, Oceanic Takeaway, O'Briens Hot Bake Bakery and Wagga Dry Cleaners came together for the first time.
"It was really hard - it's sad to see," Miss Harmer said.
Miss Harmer said she spoke with the owners, husband and wife Bryan and Kaye Stokes, who had been devastated to learn their business had burnt down.
"They have no job, they have to basically rebuild their entire lives again," she said.
In a statement released by Mr Stokes he said the business had been left "pretty much gutted' by the fire.
"We will be working through insurance regarding clothes in our possession and will keep you updated," he said.
Fire and Rescue NSW tackled the blaze from above using the ariel pumper as helpless witnesses watched-on in shock.
Fortunately firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the adjoining businesses and residences located above.
O'Briens Hot Bake Bakery was been temporarily closed for safety and cleaning precautions on Thursday but will aim to reopen following the June long weekend.
Wagga Dry Cleaners has been boarded up, remnants of burnt clothing and equipment in a skip bin waiting to be disposed of.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation and is not being treated as suspicious.
No injuries were reported.
It is the second Riverina businesses damaged by fire just a week apart after the Kurrajong Laundry on Myrtle Street, Narrandera, went up in flames last Friday, May 31.