The Black Lamb cafe at Pacific Private Hospital, Southport, torched by arsonist

A cafe which only recently traded hands has gone up in flames in an early morning arson attack, with police saying a person was depicted on CCTV dousing the business in accelerant before setting it alight.

The Black Lamb cafe at Southport has been torched in a suspected arson attack. Picture Glenn Hampson

A Southport cafe which only recently traded hands has gone up in flames in an early morning arson attack, with police saying a person was depicted on CCTV dousing the business in accelerant before setting it alight.

Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said about 1am Tuesday, City of Gold Coast CCTV cameras captured an unknown male, who remains outstanding, approach The Black Lamb cafe in a ground floor tenancy of the Pacific Private Hospital on Nerang St and douse its al fresco dining area with accelerant, before setting it alight.

Workmen start assessing the damage from a fire overnight at a cafe on the front of the Pacific Private Hospital on Nerang Street Southport. Picture Glenn Hampson

Superintendent Hanlon said the cafe “exploded in fire,” leading to the dispatch of both police and fire units to contain the blaze.

A crime scene has been declared, he added.

“We’ll be at the crime scene today [Tuesday] trying to determine how the fire was caused [and] what accelerant was used,” Superintendent Hanlon said.

The Black Lamb cafe has sustained extensive damage. Picture Glenn Hampson

“We’re trying to determine the identity of the person and trying to ascertain who they are and why they did it.”

An initial line of inquiry is whether the arson attack was perpetrated by a “disgruntled” patient or employee of the hospital, Superintendent Hanlon said.

It’s understood the cafe has been in operation since about 2015.

Workmen start assessing the damage from a fire overnight at The Black Lamb. Picture: Glenn Hampson

According to the business’ social media profile, its current owners, husband-and-wife duo Jyoti Gusain and Sumit Bisht, purchased the cafe in mid 2024 from the previous owners.

The cafe only reopened on January 6 after a fortnight-long shutdown for the Christmas holiday period.

Both owners have been contacted for comment.

Originally published as The Black Lamb cafe at Pacific Private Hospital, Southport, torched by arsonist