Shops destroyed by suspicious twin torching in latest suspected tobacco war attacks

Two tobacco shops were suspiciously razed by fire early on Saturday morning, onlookers convinced the blazes are linked to the ongoing Melbourne tobacco war.

Firefighters fight a fire at a tobacco shop in Epping after it was set ablaze in a suspected arson attack. Picture: Epping Fire Brigade

Two tobacco shops were suspiciously razed by fire in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police and fire crews were called to the Epping Tobacconist, Vape and Shisha Store on High St about 4am after arsonists smashed the heavy duty shutters and made visible incisions.

It appeared completely destroyed.

A suspicious blaze destroyed an Epping tobacco shop early Saturday morning, arsonists smashing its heavy duty shutters.

Owners of two neighbouring businesses, who wished to remain anonymous, said the shop was often open late into the night and had long queues of people spilling out onto the street.

“I just don’t know when (these fires) are going to end,” one said.

The exact circumstances of the blaze are under investigation, but residents in the area are convinced it is linked to the ongoing tobacco wars that have plagued Melbourne suburbs in recent months.

The arson squad respond to a suspected arson attack on High Street, Epping while electricity crews attempt to reconnect power.

Neighbouring businesses were on Saturday morning disconnected to the power supply due to damage to an electricity pole.

“(On) Saturday we are typically busy, but if the power doesn’t come back on and the smoke doesn’t clear we will have to shut,” another said.

Police have established a crime scene, while arson chemists attended the scene this morning.

Police have confirmed they are treating the fire as suspicious.

Firefighters fight the blaze at the Epping tobacco shop. Picture: Epping Fire Brigade

About 30 minutes earlier, 18 people were forced to evacuate from a regional hotel after another smoke shop was torched in the state’s west.

CFA crews were called to a suspicious tobacco and vape shop fire on Barkly St in Ararat about 3.29am Saturday.

Windows of the 'Lolly Shop' were smashed but neighbouring businesses escaped serious damage. Picture: Supplied

Nearly 20 visitors staying at the Ararat Hotel and Cafe, whose building has been divided into separate shops at street level, were evacuated in the early morning chaos.

Much of the smoke shop, named and branded as the ‘Lolly Shop’, was destroyed.

Eighteen people were evacuated from an Ararat pub after a nearby tobacco shop was torched. Picture: Supplied

Stores on either side of the Barkly St business evaded any major damage.

It is unclear whether Lunar detectives will be called in to investigate the twin attacks.

It is also unknown if the fires are linked but they are believed to be the first attacks on the smoke trade in over a month.

Tobacconists in both Orbost and Geelong were torched in the early hours of April 5, but the simmering tensions between rival illicit tobacco syndicates seemed to have eased.