Probe into West Footscray inferno factory ex-tenant’s unpaid debts
THE West Footscray warehouse inferno, one of the biggest fires in Melbourne in decades, has been deemed suspicious, with the MFB refering the matter to Victoria Police to investigate.
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THE West Footscray inferno is now being deemed suspicious and police will probe the blaze.
Police and fire chiefs are still hunting the ex-tenant after it emerged he was booted out of the warehouse six weeks ago for unpaid rent and also has other creditors chasing him for cash.
The MFB today in a statement said: “After three days gathering evidence at the site, MFB specialist fire investigators have made the determination today to refer the investigation to Victoria Police. This is based on evidence which indicates that the cause of the fire may be suspicious.”
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Police say the area has not yet been deemed safe for them to analyse and were yet to identify and exact cause of the fire.
As the fire continues to smoulder, firefighters are using using thermal imaging technology to tackle hot spots.
Bund walls have been put down in a bid to reduce the impact of the fire on the local environment after more dead marine life has been found.
It can be revealed Maribyrnong City Council conducted building and safety inspections on the warehouse and it was compliant at the last inspection for having fire hoses, working lights, insulation and other building requirements.
Earlier, the first photos emerged of the devastation caused by the factory inferno.
Blackened metal drums, twisted building materials and damaged shipping containers litter the charred landscape.
Firefighters are continuing to hose down the blaze which began early Thursday morning.
Strong chemical fumes remain but the fire, has now been brought under control and residents and businesses have been told to return to normal lives.
Unpaid debts racked up by the former tenant of the factory be probed as police and fire chiefs launch a manhunt to find him.
But new twists in one of the city’s biggest fires in decades have emerged as fireys still try to determine what caused the blaze.
The Australian Taxation Office recently raided the accountancy firm linked to the owner of the factory, Chris Baldwin — who owns the company Danbol Pty Ltd — as part of a probe into alleged phoenix activity and avoidance of tax.
It has been revealed that Hells Angel Reginald George Roberts — now in jail in South Australia over drug charges — was the director of Danbol in 2011. Victoria Police and the MFP are carrying out joint investigations to determine if the fire was suspicious and to find the former tenant, who has not come forward.
Mr Baldwin told the Herald Sun he had to kick out the previous tenant six weeks ago because he was behind on his rent.
He said there were a lot of angry people chasing that former tenant, who had used the warehouse as a timber yard.
“There are a lot of disgruntled creditors out there of his,” Mr Baldwin said. “He cost me a heap of money too.
“In recent weeks the new tenant had been visited by people looking to recoup money from the previous tenant.
“He said there’s been people coming in demanding money.”
MFB incident controller Trent Curtin said the landlord and current tenant had co-operated but they were unable to reach the previous tenant, who could hold key information on what type of chemicals were burning.
Mr Curtin confirmed the building was empty at the time the fire started and there were no injuries.
Mr Baldwin’s firm, Baldwin Taxation and Advisory, was part of 11 properties raided by more than 250 ATO officers across Melbourne and Shepparton as part of a probe into alleged phoenix activity and avoidance of tax.
Tax agents triggered the investigation after tax professionals and clients made complaints.
“We are examining a group of tax agents suspected of facilitating phoenix activity and promoting avoidance of tax involving GST, income tax and the failure to remit pay-as-you-go withholding tax payments,” ATO Deputy Commissioner Jeremy Geale said early this month.
Mr Baldwin said the fire was unrelated to the ATO raids on his accounting firm.
Bulldozers and excavators were brought in on Friday to help firefighters get closer to the source of the blaze.
Schools returned to normal and the list of suburbs on high alert was reduced.
But businesses remained closed on Friday near the fire, with many saying they were being hit financially.
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