Man charged over alleged late-night arson attack in Highgate Hill
A 50-year-old man has been charged over a series of alleged arson attacks that damaged two homes and destroyed five cars in a southside Brisbane suburb. SEE PHOTOS OF THE AFTERMATH
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An alleged arsonist has been charged after two homes and five cars were torched on Brisbane’s southside on Wednesday night.
About 9.30pm, emergency services were called to Franklin Street, Highgate Hill, after reports of a house fire.
The blaze was extinguished, however a short time later police were called to another fire at a home on the same street.
The home was extensively damaged as a result.
Several cars were then destroyed after a fire broke out at Hampstead Rd about an hour after the initial blaze on Franklin St.
Police will allege a 50-year old Wynnum man was responsible for the three blazes as well as another rubbish fire on Boundary Road earlier that night.
He has been charged with 12 offences including three counts of enter premises with intent to commit indictable offence and two counts each of endangering property by fire and arson of a structure or building.
He is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.
Residents of a block of units on Hampstead Rd recounted the moment they realised flames were coming from their car ports beneath the building.
One man, Manoah Malluri, said he first became aware when he felt the building shaking.
“When I looked out of my window I could see all the fumes on the right hand side,” he said.
In what Mr Malluri described as a “traumatic” experience, he said he called triple-0 and made sure the other residents were aware of the blaze.
“I came out and I could see one side of the garage was burning, all of the cars were burning and bursting in front of us,” he said.
Syed Mubshir, who lives in the building with his pregnant wife and young child, was panicked when he was woke to the blaze.
“I opened the door and flames were coming from (underneath),” he said.
The young family jumped over the flames outside the front door to safety, he said.
Fire investigator Daniel Rasmussen said QFES were working alongside police to determine how the fires started.
“There were a number of fires in the Highgate Hill area last night,” he said.
A crime scene has been declared on each street.
No one was injured as a result of the fires.