Love Island star’s relief after three arrested over fire at family restaurant Bar38

Love Island star Claudia Bonifazio has spoken of her relief after police arrested three teenagers – one aged just 14 – after a devastating fire destroyed her brother’s restaurant.

Three teenagers have been arrested following a devastating fire that ripped through Love Island winner Claudia Bonifazio’s family restaurant in Glenside.

Bar38 on Greenhill Rd was destroyed after a police allege a “deliberately lit” blaze swept through the building at around 3am on Sunday morning.

Following investigations by police, a 14-year-old Hampstead Gardens boy, a 17-year-old Enfield boy and a 19-year-old Largs North man were arrested and charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass, illegal use and two counts of arson.

All three teenagers have been refused bail and will appear in Adelaide Youth and Adelaide Magistrates court on Monday.

Police believe a further two people were involved in the arson and investigations are continuing.

Ms Bonifazio told The Advertiser her family, especially her brother, owner Dion Bonifazio, are “extremely happy with the police investigation”.

“We are so incredibly thankful and grateful for the immediate response and the hard work that they have put in overnight to already have made three arrests,” she said.

“Everyone is so happy, so many friends and family calling and crying with tears of joy, knowing how hard Dion had worked.”

The Love Island Australia winner said she and her family woke up thinking it was going to be a “dull day” and made pancakes to cheer themselves up after their family business burnt down.

“Now it’s going to be a celebratory breakfast,” Ms Bonifazio said.

Ms Bonifazio said the community support has been “so overwhelming”.

“We can’t believe how amazing people can be,” she said.

Claudia Bonifazio, the winner of the latest season of Love Island Australia. Picture: Supplied

Co-owner of Bar 38, Dion Bonifazio, 27, pictured after a fire on Sunday that completely destroyed his business. Picture: Agnes Gichuhi

Ms Bonifazio said her parents had once owned a pizza shop at the same location before her brother Dion Bonifazio leased the venue alongside co-owners Nunzio Bonifazio and Lewis Goodridge four years ago.

She said the family was in a state of shock and had launched a GoFundMe to support her brother who had “lost everything that he has work for.”

Ms Bonifazio also applauded her brother for his work ethic, and said the first has left him “disheartened”.

“I’ve seen him come home from work at 3am in the morning and get back up at 6am to straight back to work,” she wrote.

“(He’s) upset, distraught, shattered, beside himself, there isn’t one right-enough word to explain how a business owner can feel in this moment.”

Bar 38 fire on Greenhill Rd, Glenside: Picture: GoFundMe

Bar 38 fire on Greenhill Rd, Glenside: Picture: GoFundMe

Bar38, a Glenside restaurant has been destroyed by a fire. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Mr Bonifazio revealed their business’ insurance had expired just months prior.

“I think we need to re-evaluate and see what we’re going to do moving forward,” he said.

“We didn’t renew it (insurance). Obviously, we’ve just been very busy and didn’t even think about it.”

“So for myself, I think the best thing to do is to work and try to sort out what I need to pay back.”

Fire crews tamed the fire in about 50 minutes, leaving an estimated damage bill of $200,000, which could have escalated to $2m had fire crews not acted quickly to save the adjoining businesses.

The inferno caused half of the venue’s ceiling to collapse, with glass light fixtures in other areas left dangling by the cord.

The seats and tables that were not completely melted or destroyed were covered in ashes, with fire debris including bottles, shelves and glass scattered across the premises.

Bar38 attracted diners for their artisan wood oven pizzas, booth seating and cocktail lounge fit-out, serving a range of gourmet cocktails and beverages.

Three teenagers have been arrested following a devastating fire at Bar38, police believe the youths were also responsible for a torched stolen car. Picture: SAPOL

A stolen black Subaru Impreza was also torched at Osborne a short time later and police believe it to be linked to the Glenside arson.

SAPOL is asking anyone with any further information about the incident to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.