Foul-play suspected after fire tore through north Brisbane gym days ahead of grand opening
Police are reviewing CCTV footage and appealing for witnesses to come forward after a gym, recently purchased by high school sweethearts, went up in flames just days before it was due to open.
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Police are appealing for witnesses after a fire destroyed a FitStop gym in Brisbane’s north on Tuesday morning, just five days before its first classes were scheduled to begin.
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Emergency services were called to the smoke-logged gym on Gympie Rd at Strathpine just after 6am, where they found a series of small fires throughout the building.
The fire is being treated as suspicious, and the fire investigations unit is currently reviewing CCTV footage, according to a spokeswoman from the Queensland Police Service.
It was a devastating blow to co-owners and high school sweethearts Matt Gilbert and Jill Sibley, who dreamt of opening their own gym after becoming part of the “FitStop fam” at the Ashgrove franchise.
The couple, who are originally from Young in New South Wales, credit their success as part of the Wavell Heights OzTag team to their involvement with the fitness group.
Prior to acquiring the gym, the pair ran a face-to-face fundraising business called Smooth Transitions where they claim to have directly raised $35 million for their clients over the course of six years.
This month Mr Gilbert announced he would be taking on the role of head of Australian operations for GoPoolit, a similar UK company promising fundraising solutions to connect donors and charities from across the world.
Further information to come.