An automatic fire alarm alerted NSW Fire & Rescue to attend to the blaze at 30 Karalta Road, Erina, just after 4:00 am on Thursday October 16. Up to 50 firefighters were involved from Gosford, Saratoga, Kincumber, Terrigal, Kariong, Bateau Bay and Berkeley Vale.

Shop owners do not believe that the fire was deliberately lit and detectives that attended the scene said their initial feeling was that it was possibly an electrical fault or some other cause.

Five shops have been destroyed and others damaged by smoke and water, with the damage bill estimated at over $1 million.

Sam and Mark Catanzariti built the Elizabeth Court shopping centre 14 years ago and LMI’s National Head of Claims Services, Steve Smith, who is based in Sydney, is currently working to mitigate the loss to give rise to a successful recovery for the Insured.