Man hit by car in brawl at Melbourne’s Gasometer, Brisbane’s Broadway Hotel fire; making headlines for the wrong reasons

One of Melbourne’s best live music venues, The Gasometer, and former band showcase Brisbane’s Broadway Hotel, made the headlines over the weekend for the wrong reasons.

A wild brawl began inside The Gasometer on Collingwood’s Smith Street during the launch of 66 Records, and continued outside.

Police estimated  200 were involved in the free-for-all, after streaming out of the club at 2:45 am on Sunday.

Seven people were injured and an 18-year-old hospitalised with severe leg injuries after a car drove at top speed towards the crowd, an eyewitness said, and pinned him against a parked car.

“Everyone was screaming. I didn’t see the moment of impact but it was clear he had just one agenda to annihilate people.”

The speeding car was driven by one of the brawlers and hit two parked cars, police said.

Commander Tim Hansen from Victoria Police said that the force had earmarked the gig as one of the events held in the city that night to watch and patrol around.

“We were concerned because history shows us that a demographic of the crowd we’re talking about, primarily Pacific Islanders and African Australians, we were advised because of that, because it’s an event in the CBD or immediate surrounds, it’s not uncommon for us to keep an eye on certain locations.”

66 Records had met with police on Friday night to discuss any problems, and had also posted on social media alerting potential trouble-makers they had hired extra security.

Among the acts who played were Pronto, Jaye, Baby T, King Ace, MTK, Eco System, Kae The Goat, Special Acts, Mobstah, Houdini, Alpha, Walterboybenjy, QRF Nalway, GS Phantom,  Petit Bizarre, Lui L and Manuella.

Brisbane’s Broadway Hotel, formerly a music venue but abandoned for some years, was destroyed by fire.

The heritage-listed hotel in Woolloongabba, in the city’s south, was well alight before emergency services arrived just before 1am.

“When I first arrived it was completely engulfed, the flames were rising above the roof top and the roof collapsed fairly quickly,” South Brisbane District duty officer senior sergeant Todd Sucic said.

Police believe the fire was started in the upstairs section by vandals.

The Broadway closed on July 11, 2010 due to extensive damage from fire.

The building is owned by businessman Seb Monsour, whose company Majella Property Developments was placed in voluntary administration last month, the Courier Mail reported.

In July a plan for a $260 million 27-storey residential tower, lodged with Brisbane City Council in March 2017, was withdrawn.