Suspicious blaze at Willi Homemade Ice Cream and Acai
Fire crews have rushed to Willi Homemade Ice Cream and Acai after it went up in flames in what appears to be yet another attack on the infamous Haddara family.
Victoria
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The fifth suspicious blaze at an ice cream shop in Williamstown appears to be yet another attack on the infamous Haddara family.
Firefighters were called to the Willi Homemade Ice Cream and Açai store on Nelson Place about 2.10am on Tuesday to find the huge 12m-high fire engulfing the rear of the two-storey building.
It took 24 firefighters about an hour to bring it under control, with a community advice warning later issued for smoke in the area.
Local detectives are investigating the blaze, which is “believed to be suspicious at this stage.”
No one was inside the building at the time.
Company records for the ice cream joint indicate it is owned by one of the Haddara clan, which has endured relentless attacks on their businesses over the past two years.
The Herald Sun understands Capriccio ice cream store next door and the business targeted on Tuesday are linked, with a sign on the boarded-up shopfront of Capriccio directing customers next door.
Capriccio remains closed to customers after it was torched more than 12 months ago.
The Williamstown Ice Creamery and Frozen Yoghurt store was also targeted by arsonists three times last year – two of which occurred within just two days of each other.
The trio of attacks forced the shop to hire private security guards to monitor the site overnight.
The Melbourne A Class Smash Repairs business in Williamstown North, which was previously linked to crime figure Fadi Haddara, was also razed by a suspicious fire in October 2023
A nearby business owner, who did not want to be named, said she did not notice any suspicious activity in the area in the days prior to Tuesday’s incident.
“Usually (before an incident) there’s commotion before but (Monday) there was nothing,” she said.
“Suddenly this morning we heard sirens of the fire truck.
“Williamstown used to be busy during the day and quiet at night, but unfortunately it’s not like it used to be.”
Kim Nguyen, owner of nearby business Nelson Nails agreed, saying after nine years working in the area she no longer felt safe.
“People are scared,” she said.
“I used to very busy but now (business) is really quiet.
“Luckily there is no damage here … but I feel terrible.”
Ms Nguyen said she was often awoken by noise from “young boys” in the street at night.
“There’s a lot of them with high-speed motorbikes,” Ms Nguyen said.
“We can’t sleep.”
Another nearby business owner said there was often “strange activity” in Nelson Place and across the road in the Commonwealth Reserve at night.
“There’s a lot of youngsters with electric scooters, yelling,” he said, adding that just nights ago there had been a car theft just outside his shop.
He was awoken at 2.30am Tuesday morning by fire trucks, with police already on the scene.
“There was too much smoke so we went back inside,” he said, adding he had had little interaction from police about increased crime in the area.
“We’ve been told nothing. We don’t know what’s going on.”
Anyone with more information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Originally published as Suspicious blaze at Willi Homemade Ice Cream and Acai
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