Arson suspected in North Melbourne fire
Last Update: Saturday, July 22, 2006. 12:23pm (AEST)
abc.net.au
Melbourne police say they suspect arson may have caused a fire which swept through rooms at the Kangaroos Football Club's Arden Street headquarters early this morning.
The fire caused an estimated $150,000 worth of damage after it broke out in three portable rooms at the North Melbourne Football Club premises at around 4:45am.
The three portable rooms were gutted while a storage area in the main building was also badly damaged.
Police say materials found near the site of the fire may have been deliberately lit.
Kangaroos chairman Graham Duff said the club was assessing the damage but said he believed important records had been lost.
"It's where the coach's room and the football department rooms are so there'll be a lot of records and papers and a lot of information has been lost," he said.
Boots and other training and fitness equipment were also destroyed in the blaze.
Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman Ross Trimboli said fire crews had the blaze under control within 15 minutes.
"The main area of the fire was their recreation rooms like clubrooms where the football players have a break when they've finished their training," he said.
"Also included there [were] all the tools I suppose of their trade. All their football boots, all their other gear, like speedballs, punching bags, everything was completely destroyed."
In May a suspicious fire threatened the grandstand at the North Melbourne Football Club but did not damage it.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200607/s1693906.htm
