Beer keg sparks fire adds to list of suspicious Bellarine fires
A Mannerim blaze marks the second suspicious fire in the region since detectives appealed for help catching a serial firebug last Tuesday.
A burning beer keg has sparked another suspicious fire on the Bellarine Peninsula, the second in the area since police appealed for information last Tuesday over a local firebug.
The small grass fire broke out on the side of Sheppards Rd in Mannerim on Monday morning, with a beer keg found at the scene of the blaze.
It marks the second suspicious fire in the area since police launched their public appeal last Tuesday over a suspected local firebug responsible for more than 24 suspicious blazes in and around the St Leonards area since January.
Areas targeted were on dirt roads backing on to bushland or paddocks, including fires on Ibbotson St, Harvey Rd and Grassy Point Rd in St Leonards.
A Country Fire Authority (CFA) spokesman said firefighters responded to reports of a beer keg and grass on fire along Sheppards Rd about 5.17am on Monday.
“Two CFA units attended the scene alongside FRV and Victoria Police,” he said.
“Upon arrival, crews found a small grass and scrub fire not spreading.
“The incident was deemed under control at 5:42am and declared safe at 6:18am.”
The CFA spokesman said Victoria Police was notified due to suspicious circumstances.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said Geelong Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) detectives were investigating the suspicious fire.
“It is understood an unknown person set a beer keg alight before fleeing the scene.”
It’s understood police will investigate any potential links to the region’s firebug, but as of Monday had not confirmed any connections.
A shrub fire which broke out last Wednesday on Ibbotson St in St Leonards was reportedly the work of the firebug under investigation, and came just one day after the public appeal for information from police.
Last week, Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Guthrie said “we have no idea who is doing it.”
“It seems to be a pattern emerging around Grassy Point Rd and roads in and around that area (in St Leonards),” he said.
“There could have been a lot more we have not been made aware of that have just burnt out.
“There has been no damage to properties yet, but it is getting closer to that.”
A mobile CCTV surveillance tower has been sporadically placed on the corner of Ibbotson St and Harvey Rd as part of the investigation.
On February 1, flammable liquid, rags and matches were found in the front seat of a car abandoned between St Leonards and Drysdale.
Two witnesses reported a hooded suspect dumped the car after driving down Murradoc Rd, wearing black sunglasses, a face covering or balaclava and blue gloves.
An arson attack at the Portarlington police station in August is not believed to be connected to the series of Bellarine shrub fires.
In 2018, a firebug was believed to have started a grassfire at Mannerim that took 100 firefighters about five hours to extinguish.
Anyone with information, dashcam or CCTV of anyone acting suspiciously in the area is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an online confidential report at crimestoppersvic.com.au
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Originally published as Beer keg sparks fire adds to list of suspicious Bellarine fires
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