COBDEN, VIC. — Police are investigating a suspicious fire that gutted a tobacco store that opened only two months ago in Cobden.
Emergency services were called to the fire on Curdie Street at 6:11am and found the shop fully engulfed in flames.
CFA commander Rob Howell said the fire damaged at least three other shops in the arcade.
He said there were some road closures in the area and he did not expect the adjoining shops to be open today.
It took firefighters two hours to bring the fire under control.
The arcade is in the main street of Cobden, which has a population of about 1,800.
Victoria Police said a crime scene had been established as investigators worked to determine the cause of the fire.
An arson chemist is expected to investigate the scene at the tobacco shop today.
Brendan Cook, from the IGA supermarket across the road, said he could hear loud bangs from the fire.
“Driving to work, I could see smoke,” he said.
“When I pulled in to the front driveway of the supermarket, you could see flames coming out of the roof and every so often a few bangs.”
