F45 gym at Pacific Pines destroyed by fire deemed suspicious

A CRIME scene has been established at a northern Gold Coast business complex, after a suspicious fire destroyed a fitness club and damaged neighbouring buildings.

Investigations are continuing after a fire ripped through a Pacific Pines gym early this morning. Photo Brianna Morris-Grant

THE OWNERS of a Pacific Pines gym destroyed in a fire early this morning say they are devastated at the loss of a business they built from scratch.

Con Biviano, who started F45 gym with his brother Frank four years ago, said they received a call this morning from emergency services telling them it had burnt to the ground.

Investigations are continuing after a fire ripped through a Pacific Pines gym early this morning. Photo Brianna Morris-Grant

“It was devastating to tell you the truth, to get the phone call was a bit surreal,” he said.

“You think, yeah a fire, how big, what capacity, and then my daughter tells me it’s on the news.

“You sort of go, oh this must be serious for it to make the news.

“And then get out here and see the devastation, even just the outside is horrible.”

The fire is believed to have started at the Pitcairn Way gym at 4.20am this morning, damaging neighbouring real estate and health care businesses.

A townhouse complex behind the gym was evacuated for a short time while emergency services got the fire under control.

A crime scene has since been established, emergency service personnel remain at the business complex.

Emergency services remain on scene at Pacific Pines after a fire ripped through a Pacific Pines gym early this morning. Photo Brianna Morris-Grant

Police are treating the blaze as suspicious.

But as for who might have been responsible, Mr Biviano said they feel only confusion.

“We’ve never had any threats, we’ve never had any issues here,” he said.

“The area has had just the general, normal things that happen, the occasional person breaking glass, trying to get a hold of $100 in petty cash or something of that nature.

“We’ve never had anything serious in either centre.”

With all buildings in the centre now closed as police determine a cause, they say they’re just trying to pick up the pieces.

“We built these places ourselves, I do know we’re talking about a good two or three months to get everything up and working again.”

Investigations are continuing to determine a cause.