Fire destroys prestige car workshop in Melbourne's north-west

Early this morning, a devastating fire erupted at a premium car workshop in Airport West, Melbourne, forcing firefighters to battle the blaze for over two hours. The Prestige Autoworks on King Street was engulfed in flames just after 1am, with reports of explosions emanating from the scene. Police are treating the incident as suspicious and are investigating the cause of the fire.

Within seven minutes of receiving multiple calls to Triple Zero (000), firefighters arrived on the scene to find the brick building fully ablaze, with flames spreading through the roof. Due to the structural collapse, firefighters had to employ a defensive attack, wearing breathing apparatus to navigate the dangerous conditions. Over fifty firefighters and three aerial appliances were deployed to control the inferno, which took more than two hours to extinguish.

The fire department issued a community warning regarding smoke in the surrounding area. However, paramedics were not required to attend due to the absence of any reported injuries. Police confirmed that no one was believed to have been inside the workshop at the time of the fire and are treating the cause as suspicious, pending further investigation.

Due to the extensive structural damage, investigators are expected to continue their assessment at the scene once it is deemed safe to do so. Anyone with relevant information or a view of the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.