Police probe man’s death in suspicious blaze at St Kilda home

Detectives are investigating a fire at a Chapel St property where a man — who was found critically injured — died on Wednesday night.

Police are investigating a suspected murder after a man died in a house fire on Chapel St on Wednesday night.

Emergency services responded to reports of a blaze on Chapel St about 8.40pm and fire crews arrived to find the first floor alight.

Inside they found a critically injured man, who is yet to be identified. He received emergency treatment but died at the scene.

A crime scene has been established at the Chapel St property and an arson chemist will assess the scene on Thursday morning.

Detectives in the lane behind the property. Picture: David Crosling

The Chapel St property is located next door to the St Kilda Police Station and shares a fence with the station’s car park.

The building on Thursday morning was cordoned off by police tape as detectives probed the man’s death.

Elisa Rothschild has owned a law practice operating out of the Chapel St property since 2019 and said she was shocked to hear about the fire.

“Last night my sister called me and said there’s a fire in your building and I was so shocked I said ‘what about my office?’,” Ms Rothschild said.

She said the news of the death was “a bit of a jolt” and “quite scary”.

“It’s just a horrible thing to happen,” she said.

Police outside the home in Chapel St. Picture: David Crosling

Ms Rothschild’s office sits at the front of the building with an apartment above and behind.

She said she was not surprised to hear about the fire as squatters had been an ongoing issue at the property.

“I have seen the sort of activity that goes on there. I’m certainly not surprised.

They (the squatters) have been very, very loud … and they’re always wandering up and down past my window … like very strange people, grungy people.

I would go to the area and I would smell cigarette smoke — like in abundance,” she said.

She said the landlord of the building had tried to get the squatters removed.

Forensic investigators at the scene. Picture: David Crosling

Jacques Tremblay lives above the unit where the fire started, though he was unaware of the blaze until firefighters told him to evacuate his apartment.

“We were not aware of anything … then when we were on the footpath we noticed there was black smoke coming out from the back of the property,” Mr Tremblay said.

Mr Tremblay was saddened by the tragic death, having witnessed the events unfold in front of him.

“When we were on the footpath we saw the fireman coming out with the bag and the body - it’s horrible,” he said.

Fed up with the squatters on the property he said “it was bound something (like this) was going to happen”.

After living in his Chapel St home for 35 years, Mr Tremblay is moving back to Canada frustrated by the rising crime rate in St Kilda.

“St Kilda over the last few years has become worse than it was when I moved in;

St Kilda is not what it used to be”.

Police are urging anyone with any information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Police probe man’s death in suspicious blaze at St Kilda home