Choice Sippy Downs to reopen after 2024 fire set by 13-year-old boy
A shop in an emerging Sunshine Coast suburb has announced its return more than a year after it was severely damaged in a fire set by a juvenile.
Sunshine Coast
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A discount store on the Sunshine Coast which had shut for more than a year after it was set on fire by a juvenile has announced its return.
The Choice discount store on Chancellor Village Boulevard, Sippy Downs closed last year after a fire ripped through the building and severely damaged the roof.
Police had treated the fire as suspicious on July 4, 2024, the day of the incident, and asked for anyone with information to come forward the very next day.
A Queensland Police spokeswoman said a 13-year-old Palmview boy was then dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act on July 7, 2024.
Investigations were finalised.
The discount store is now scheduled to reopen in the fourth week of July.
A Choice spokeswoman said it felt like a huge milestone after everything the Sippy Downs team had gone through.
She said the “total store was destroyed” and nothing remained which could be salvaged.
The initial burn and its rapid growth was “horrifying” to watch, and the spokeswoman said they were grateful to their staff who worked efficiently to ensure customers and co-workers were safe.
“We are so thankful to the fire department that fought the fire,” she said.
The blaze had affected staff members in many ways, but most were sent to neighbouring stores to keep their employment.
She noted the roof of the building had suffered extensive damage and required replacement, and the reopening was further delayed due to weather.
The spokeswoman said the response from the community following the fire was “nothing short of heartwarming”, and they were grateful for the ongoing support and commitment given to the store.
Sippy Downs residents are eager to see the expanded line of products, which had been “curated” for everyday needs, in the “upgraded space”, the spokeswoman said.
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