Firebugs create a cocktail of damage
Firebugs create a cocktail of damage
15 February 2007
published by www.abc.net.au
A grass fire that burned in Dandenong on Sunday may be connected to a number of other suspicious fires in the area.
Australia — Firebugs armed with Molotov cocktailsignited a number of grass fires along Greens Road in Dandenong on Monday.
Two men in a gold Holden Commodore sedan were seen throwing the fire bombs fromthe cars windows moments before the fires started.
The first cocktail ignited a grassy medium strip outside the Cummins factory andthe sec¬ond sparked a fire on the corner of Greens Road and South GippslandHighway, near The Smiths Snackfood Company.
Cummins employee Kelly, who didnt want her surname published, said the firewas across the road from the factory and she was thankful the Dande¬nong CFAextinguished the flames quickly.
One of our employees phoned the fire brigade and they were here within twominutes, she said.
Minutes later a much larger fire outside the nearby Smiths factory causedfirefighters more problems.
But hours after the flames had died, firebugs ignited another blaze nearby.
The Dandenong CFA attended the scene for the sec¬ond time and managed to gaincontrol of the newly lit fire.
Local fire brigades attended to more than 12 suspicious grass fires over theweekend and on Monday.
On Sunday afternoon, a grass fire burned dangerously close to a constructionzone of the Eastlink Freeway in Dande¬nong on Sunday afternoon.
The fire ignited in a grassy area between the Eastlink Free¬way and theDandenong Show¬grounds about 5pm.
The cause of the blaze, which was extinguished by the Dandenong CFA, is stillunknown.
Construction of Eastlink site was not affected.
Dandenong Police is inves¬tigating any possible connec¬tion between the blazes.
