GLENROY, VIC. — Police are investigating a suspicious fire in Glenroy in an area locals say has been targeted by arsonists many times before.
Emergency services were called to the blaze on Wheatsheaf Road about 2.40am.
No one was inside at the time of the incident.
Kieran Purcell from Fire Rescue Victoria said more than 25 firefighters attended the scene and took about an hour to extinguish the blaze, which caused extensive damage.
“The crews went in there and did a very good job knocking down the fire. We’ve had to remove a large part of the roof to stop the fire extension, which went into the ceiling space,” he said.
“They’ve had to cut down four roller doors. They’ve also had to cut into the roof,” FRV spokesperson Purcell said.
The owner of the building, a Halal butcher shop, Mir Alam, said it appeared the fire was deliberately lit.
“Terrible. I don’t know what happened, I don’t know why it happened,” he said.
“It’s shocking and a surprise. Why would somebody do that? We checked the back door; somebody actually opened that door and set the fire inside.”
At this stage, the fire is not being investigated as part of Operation Eclipse, which is overseeing investigations into arson attacks on licensed venues, but detectives will investigate the cause of the fire, which is being treated as suspicious.
Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
