A grieving Melbourne daughter is locked in a battle with a Scoresby storage company to reclaim her family's most treasured possessions, after a fire at the Public Self Storage facility in Melbourne's east left thousands of customers' items trapped inside — and now facing potential disposal.
Fire at Scoresby's Public Self Storage leaves memories in limbo
In July, a major blaze tore through the Public Self Storage facility in Scoresby, sealing away the belongings of numerous customers. Among them is Veronika Veale, who described the emotional toll of being unable to access what remains inside.
"There's my wedding dress, there's my children's belongings, there's everything that represents our family," Veale said. "To know that it's just there and we can't have it back is just devastating."
The situation has taken an even more distressing turn for some customers. One woman revealed that cremated human remains — at least three separate lots — are among the items still being held within the building.
Customers hit with thousands in recovery costs
Rather than being offered a straightforward path to retrieving their belongings, affected customers have been told they must pay significant sums — in some cases upwards of $10,000 — to recover their items.
"I don't have a lazy 10k lying around to recover my things, so we're sort of stuck with their decision," said customer Mark Bugeja.
Customers had been given a deadline to pay and collect, and many now fear the company will move to dispose of their possessions if they cannot meet the financial demands.
Adding to the frustration, some customers said they were initially told their belongings were unsalvageable — only to receive photographs showing items with what appeared to be minimal damage.
The company has defended its position, saying photographs are not a reliable indicator of safety. "Smoke and soot carry combustion residues into everything," the company said in a statement. "None of this is visible. A photograph cannot tell anyone whether the goods are safe."
'I don't care how it started — I just want my family's things back'
For Veale, the dispute is not about blame or financial compensation. Her focus remains solely on recovering items connected to her late mother and her family's history.
"I don't want to sue anyone. I don't want to place blame. I don't care how it started," she said. "All I care about is my mother's things, my things, my family's things."
Her words reflect a sentiment shared widely among those affected — that no insurance payout or legal remedy can replace the irreplaceable.
What happens next for affected customers
With the payment deadline now passed, the fate of thousands of stored items — from family heirlooms and wedding dresses to, in some cases, the cremated remains of loved ones — remains deeply uncertain. Customers are watching closely to see whether the company follows through on what many fear is a looming disposal of their belongings.
The case has highlighted broader questions about consumer protections and the obligations storage facilities owe their clients when disaster strikes, particularly around transparency, accessibility, and the true extent of damage to stored goods.
