A Melbourne live music venue owned by a partnership of Australian footballers was set alight early this morning. As ABC News reports, a construction worker was allegedly assaulted by two men in balaclavas shortly before a fire ripped through the Albion bar on York Street.
The bar and venue, formerly known as the Motel nightclub, is co-owned by Collingwood favourite Dane Swan, Matt Darcy from the Darcy Group, Mark Armstrong, and former Melbourne Storm stars Robbie Kearns and Danny Williams.
The blaze, likely set by a pair of balaclava-clad arsonists, sent plumes of smoke pouring over South Melbourne. Police said they believed the site worker was assaulted after disturbing two men who were seen close to where the fire started.
ABC News reports members of the Victoria Police arson squad spoke to bystanders at the scene and they are investigating the cause of the fire. Detectives are reportedly treating the fire as suspicious.
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) said all three storeys of the building were damaged in the “intense” fire and fire crews said they had concerns about the building’s structural integrity, as cracks were found in some walls.
Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman Steve Moore told The Age the fire had spread through all three levels of the building, which is located less than 100 metres from an industrial gas supplier and was due to open as a rooftop bar and lounge on 16th October.
Most of the damage had been contained to the pub, he said, although one wall of a neighbouring building had been affected. The venue owners have not yet released an official statement and it is not clear how the fire will affect the venue’s launch.
