Neighbours describe explosions as Melbourne tobacco shop burns down
Fitzroy North residents say they were woken just before 4am by the sound of explosions, as police investigate a suspicious fire that gutted a tobacco shop.
A fire in a Melbourne tobacco shop has been deemed suspicious by police and is being treated as such. Neighbors living near the Fitzroy North shop reported hearing explosions just before 4 a.m. before the fire broke out. Police suspect the shop was broken into and then set on fire intentionally. They are urging anyone with information to come forward.
The fire was reported around 3:45 a.m. on St Georges Road, and emergency services were dispatched to find the shop fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters worked to prevent the blaze from spreading to adjacent businesses, which also sustained damage. No one was inside the tobacco store at the time, as it was entirely destroyed. One nearby resident recounted being awakened by the sound and smell of the fire, describing it as sparks going off in various locations followed by a massive explosion.
A dark-colored vehicle was reportedly observed leaving the scene by witnesses. Police have established a crime scene and are appealing for witnesses with dashcam or CCTV footage, as well as any relevant information, to contact Crime Stoppers or submit a confidential report online. This incident is part of a series of suspicious fires currently under investigation by Victorian authorities.
Last week, Victoria Police announced a targeted operation aimed at reducing arson cases across the state, resulting in over 160 arrests this year.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
