{
  "id": 16814357,
  "title": "Roads closed and shops damaged after tobacco shop fire in Cobden",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/roads-closed-and-shops-damaged-after-tobacco-shop-fire-in-cobden",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-27T23:11:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-28/police-investigating-suspicious-fire-at-cobden-tobacco-shop/107317344"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Police are investigating a fire at a newly opened tobacco shop in Cobden, a town in south-west Victoria. The blaze has spread to at least three other shops in the same arcade. Emergency services were called to the Curdie Street location around 6:15am and found the tobacco store engulfed in flames. CFA commander Rob Howell reported that road closures were in effect and the adjoining shops were unlikely to reopen today. The fire took firefighters two hours to bring under control. Cobden, with a population of approximately 1,800, is located in the main street of the town. Victoria Police has established a crime scene and an arson chemist will investigate the tobacco shop today. Reports from nearby IGA supermarket owner Brendan Cook described hearing loud bangs and seeing smoke and flames from the roof.",
  "summary": "The fire gutted a tobacco store that only opened two months ago in the south-west Victorian town. Three other shops were also damaged.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}