POLICE are investigating links between six fires in Eaglehawk in the past week, believing at least four are suspicious.
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All six fires have occurred in the vicinity of the Eaglehawk Railway Station and Albert Roy Reserve.
The latest fire destroyed a portable building at a Future Employment Opportunities site on Monday morning.
It was the third time since last Tuesday fire has broken out at the FEO site.
A fire in baseball clubrooms at Albert Roy Reserve was initially believed to have been caused by an electrical fault, but is now one of two being re-examined.
Detective Senior Constable Debbie Graham said police considered the four most recent fires suspicious, so would re-investigate the first two.
“Four are suspicious: the three on Saturday and the portable fire (on Monday),” she said.
Six fires in less than a week
Since last Tuesday, six fires have occurred in close proximity to each other in Eaglehawk.
- On February 2, crews attended a fire at Future Employment Opportunities in Market Street. The blaze began about 2.30am.
- Two days later, a short walking distance away, a fire destroyed baseball clubrooms at Albert Roy Reserve.
- On the morning of February 6, three fires broke out – one was a grass fire in Caldwells Road, another in a baseball club storage container at Albert Roy Reserve and the third was at FEO, where damage occurred to a building. Two of the fires occurred 16 minutes apart.
- On February 8, fire crews were called to another blaze at FEO at about 2.30am, where a portable building was gutted.
FEO hit a third time
A third fire in just six days at the same site gutted a portable building at FEO early on Monday.
The latest fire destroyed a building next to FEO’s TradeStart shed.
A CFA spokesperson said six fire trucks from the Eaglehawk, Bendigo and Golden Square brigades were called to Market Street about 2.30am on Monday morning.
The blaze, which engulfed the 30m x 20m structure, could not be brought under control until about 3.30am.
Whipstick ward councillor Peter Cox said it appeared that FEO and the Bendigo Baseball Association had been targeted multiple times.
“So that has got to be a concern,” he said. “Not only for the organisations, but for the local residents. There’s a lot of dry grass.
“It’s devastating for the two organisations.”
Cr Cox welcomed the police investigating links between all six fires, including the fire at the baseball clubrooms.
“We appreciate the police reopening the investigation into last week’s fire,” Cr Cox said.
Jason Stone, FEO’s liquidator and a partner at PKF Melbourne, said his firm had previously been looking at selling the portables and would now lodge an insurance claim.
“We’re awaiting police and fire brigade reports,” he said.
“When the first burned out, the fire brigade suspected the cause was electrical fault.
“A second one going up raises suspicion – both would appear to be arson.”
Concerns of more fires
A quiet community spread across both sides of the train tracks in Eaglehawk is coming to terms with the possibility they have a serial arsonist in their midst.
One Market Street resident, who asked not to be named, has seen CFA crews battle three blazes close to her home.
“It’s been an exciting week. I was OK until last night’s,” she said, referring to the blaze that gutted a portable building at an FEO site early on Monday.
“It really shook me up because the flames were so high and it was pretty close.”
The woman said she called the fire brigade at about 2.40am when she noticed flames rising up over her back fence.
“I took note of the time after the other fires we’ve had,” she said.
“It’s a bit of a fright when it’s so close and there’s a lot of dry grass. There are some horrible shrubs out there.”
The woman believed another blaze was possible if police did not take sufficient steps to patrol or guard the area.
“With the first one, they seemed to think it was electrical. Then it happened up at Albert Roy (Reserve),” she said.
“It’s definitely arson.”
Another resident of Market Street, Betty McKenzie, said that she, too, hoped police would be able to effectively patrol the area to prevent further damage.
“It’s getting close to the fences,” she said. “I don’t know what they’re going to do.”
The fires, Ms McKenzie added, were beginning to concern her.
“I hope they can sort it out. It does frighten you.”
Both women said the neighbourhood was otherwise a safe and friendly place to live.
Adjoining the property where the fire-damaged buildings are situated are a number of units where retirees live.
Cr Cox said he had been out speaking with residents in Eaglehawk in the aftermath of the fires.
“They’re concerned about when the next one might be lit and that it could affect local homes,” he said.
Cr Cox urged anyone with information to report it to the authorities.
“I’d ask residents to keep their eyes open and … to contact police and Crime Stoppers,” he said.
“We certainly need to stop what’s happening.”
Following Monday’s fire, police officers were guarding the site, which was taped off to prevent members of the public accessing the damaged building.
Fires at tough time for FEO
A third blaze that gutted a portable classroom early on Monday was the latest blow for Future Employment Opportunities.
Creditors voted on Friday to place the Eaglehawk-based organisation into liquidation.
Speaking at the scene of the fire on Monday, Donna Clarke, FEO interim general manager, said the blaze had left her “gutted”.
“This is beyond words,” she said. “This has been such a valuable community resource and to see this happen when the organisation is going through difficult times is just gut-wrenching.”
FEO, a not-for-profit employment agency, was placed into voluntary administration in December.
FEO provided courses and training for job seekers. It operated a number of facilities.
As many as 70 employees are owned a combined $550,000, Mr Stone has said.
A further $170,000 is owed to unsecured creditors.
Baseball season safe
The Bendigo Baseball Association says the 2016 season will go ahead as planned.
A shortage of candidates for key off-pitch positions had already put the season in doubt before separate fires last week destroyed the baseball clubrooms and an equipment storage container.
But the Bendigo Baseball Association’s “Interim Recovery Committee” released a statement on Saturday, shortly after the second blaze at the baseball venue, saying the season would go ahead.
“Baseball is only just beginning to deal with the aftermath of the destruction of the Albert Roy Club Room at the same complex two days ago,” the statement said in response to the second fire.
“The 2016 season will go ahead, venues to be advised.”
The committee called on members of the public to report information about either of the two fires.
“We ask for the whole of the Bendigo community to be vigilant and report any suspicions of who may be responsible for any of the recent fires to police,” a statement says.
Police initially said the first blaze at Albert Roy Reserve – which destroyed association and club memorabilia – was caused by an electrical fault.
But police are now investigating any possible links between the six fires that have occurred in the area in the past week.
The BBA recovery committee said an upcoming junior twilight baseball season, to be played each Monday from February 15 to March 31, had been moved from Albert Roy to the Strathfieldsaye Dodgers’ home in Club Court, Strathfieldsaye.
“(The) Association’s AGM has been relocated to Golden Square Football Club, Wade St at 7.30pm February 10. All baseballers in Bendigo are required to attend this meeting without exception,” the committee’s statement added.
The recovery committee asked for the support of its entire community, including life members, as well as help from higher up.
“We request practical, financial and advisory support from council, government and Baseball Victoria.
“We wish to inform the community as a whole that we will rebuild and that these events will not stop us.”
Anyone with information should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.