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| Man arrested after suspicious fire engulfs Caulfield Racecourse grandstand in Melbourne’s south-east | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Police arrest 51-year-old in Mordialloc in relation to Tuesday morning blaze | |
| Victoria police have arrested a 51-year-old man over a suspicious fire at Melbourne’s Caulfield Racecourse on Tuesday. | |
| Major parts of the racecourse’s grandstand were destroyed in an early morning blaze. | |
| In a statement, police said detectives arrested a 51-year-old man at Mordialloc train station on Tuesday afternoon in relation to the incident. | |
| The man, whose last known address was in Wangaratta in north-east Victoria, was arrested after reports of several grass fires in the Mordialloc area, police said. He will be interviewed by detectives. | |
| “Investigators are investigating links between the three grass fires, in the vicinity of Attenborough Park … about 12.30pm, and the grandstand fire this morning,” a statement said. | |
| Police said all fires were believed to be suspicious. | |
| Fire Rescue Victoria earlier said it responded to the blaze at Station Street in Caulfield East in Melbourne’s south-east at 6.20am on Tuesday. | |
| “Firefighters arrived on scene to find a fire in the centre of a 200m x 100m brick structure,” a statement said. | “Firefighters arrived on scene to find a fire in the centre of a 200m x 100m brick structure,” a statement said. |
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| The response was escalated to a third alarm which indicates a significant fire, with multiple crews battling the blaze before getting it under control about 7am. | The response was escalated to a third alarm which indicates a significant fire, with multiple crews battling the blaze before getting it under control about 7am. |
| One firefighter suffered a minor hand injury in the blaze and was treated in hospital. | One firefighter suffered a minor hand injury in the blaze and was treated in hospital. |
| Massive fire at Caulfield racecourse in grandstand for updates tune into @RSN927 pic.twitter.com/cuSZQ8kpee | Massive fire at Caulfield racecourse in grandstand for updates tune into @RSN927 pic.twitter.com/cuSZQ8kpee |
| A FRV incident controller, Dennis Smith, said the fire had caused “significant damage” to the Norman Robinson stand and had originated in a bar on the first level. | A FRV incident controller, Dennis Smith, said the fire had caused “significant damage” to the Norman Robinson stand and had originated in a bar on the first level. |
| “It is timber, so it burned pretty well, also there’s a bar behind, the 1876 bar, that has also been impacted by this,” he told reporters. | “It is timber, so it burned pretty well, also there’s a bar behind, the 1876 bar, that has also been impacted by this,” he told reporters. |
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| “As far as the grandstands on either side, there is a little bit of water damage but no fire [damage], thankfully. | “As far as the grandstands on either side, there is a little bit of water damage but no fire [damage], thankfully. |
| “But that stand itself is significantly impacted.” | “But that stand itself is significantly impacted.” |
| Victoria police have established a crime scene. “Police are investigating a suspicious fire at the Caulfield Racecourse,” a statement said. | Victoria police have established a crime scene. “Police are investigating a suspicious fire at the Caulfield Racecourse,” a statement said. |
| Smith said desperate early efforts from 17 fire crews had stopped the blaze spreading any further. | Smith said desperate early efforts from 17 fire crews had stopped the blaze spreading any further. |
| “There are a lot of residents around here, but thankfully the wind wasn’t significant so it didn’t really impact [the surrounding area] as much,” he said. | “There are a lot of residents around here, but thankfully the wind wasn’t significant so it didn’t really impact [the surrounding area] as much,” he said. |
| The chair of the Melbourne Racing Club, John Kanga, said contingency plans were in place for a race scheduled for Wednesday. | The chair of the Melbourne Racing Club, John Kanga, said contingency plans were in place for a race scheduled for Wednesday. |
| “In my perspective, it’s unlikely [to go ahead at Caulfield] and we would probably move to Mornington tomorrow,” he told reporters. | “In my perspective, it’s unlikely [to go ahead at Caulfield] and we would probably move to Mornington tomorrow,” he told reporters. |
| “We are gutted as a club but we are keen to rebuild.” | “We are gutted as a club but we are keen to rebuild.” |
| Kanga said the damaged areas were among racegoers’ favourites. | Kanga said the damaged areas were among racegoers’ favourites. |
| “Both bars are very well frequented … I can assure [members] that we will rebuild it as good or if not better than what it was,” he said. | “Both bars are very well frequented … I can assure [members] that we will rebuild it as good or if not better than what it was,” he said. |
| A Vic Emergency advice message was flagged for the nearby suburbs of Ashburton, Carnegie, Caulfield, Caulfield East, Caulfield North, Caulfield South, Glen Huntly, Glen Iris, Malvern, Malvern East, Murrumbeena and Ormond. | A Vic Emergency advice message was flagged for the nearby suburbs of Ashburton, Carnegie, Caulfield, Caulfield East, Caulfield North, Caulfield South, Glen Huntly, Glen Iris, Malvern, Malvern East, Murrumbeena and Ormond. |
| “There is currently no threat to the community, but you should continue to stay informed and monitor conditions,” the alert said. | “There is currently no threat to the community, but you should continue to stay informed and monitor conditions,” the alert said. |