Nitro Gym, once owned by Comanchero boss Mick Murray, set ablaze in arson attack in Melbourne’s southeast

Victoria Police’s anti-bikie Echo Taskforce is probing an arson attack on Nitro Gym in Melbourne’s southeast, previously owned by Comanchero boss Mick Murray.

Victoria Police’s anti-bikie task force will probe an arson attack on a gym in Melbourne’s southeast favoured by outlaw motorcycle gang members and previously owned by Comanchero boss Mick Murray.

Fire crews were called to Nitro Gym on Princes Hwy in Hallam shortly after 4am on Thursday after multiple reports the business was on fire.

The gym — once owned by Murray — has a long history of police raids and targeted drive-by shootings.

It has also previously been used as a meeting point for Comanchero runs.

Nitro Gym was damaged in an arson attack. Picture: Supplied

Fire crews cut a hole through the building’s back door to gain access. Picture: Supplied

Police at the scene on Thursday morning. Picture: Supplied

Police on Thursday said detectives from its bikie-focused Echo Taskforce would probe the fire in which a number of windows were smashed and a liquid accelerant poured inside the building.

“Echo Taskforce detectives will look at whether the business was targeted due to a number of outlaw motorcycle gang members attending the gym,” police said in a statement.

Detectives and a heavy police presence were at the gym on Thursday morning, with multiple officers scouring the perimeter of the building.

The front doors of the venue had been smashed.

Fire Rescue Victoria said the building was “well alight” when they arrived and extra pumper trucks had to be brought in to get the blaze under control.

The gym was once owned by Comanchero boss Mick Murray. Picture: Ian Currie

The gym has been used as a meeting point for Comanchero runs. Picture: David Crosling

The blaze is one of a series of arsons targeting gyms across Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs.

Arsonists torched a Narre Warren gym with bikie links and where its owner was once shot during a suspected turf war on May 1.

Offenders broke into the Skamma Gym about 6am before setting it alight.

The gym was once the site of the drive-by shooting of owner, former kickboxer and security industry insider Clay Auimatagi, and a security guard when mystery gunmen opened fire on the pair minutes before Mr Auimatagi was due to run a kickboxing class there in September 2015.

Mr Auimatagi was shot in the leg and collapsed moments later, but survived the ambush.

He was at one point a close associate of former Comancheros president Mick Murray, who ran Nitro Gym.

There were suspicions the attack was also connected to a brawl with bouncers outside a CBD nightclub that involved a Comanchero and one of his associates.

It was believed conflict over a string of security contracts had boiled over, sparking the tit-for-tat violence.

Business records show that Mr Auimatagi has remained a co-owner of Skamma Gym following the shooting, which was reportedly one of at least three other shootings believed to be linked to a bikie strip club vendetta at the time.

Fighters Xpress in Dandenong has remained closed since the July 2023 blaze. Picture: David Crosling

Fire investigators inspect a burnt out car inside the gym. Picture: David Crosling

Mr Auimatagi reportedly had links with several security businesses that worked for the Kittens strip club, where two other shootings occurred.

Skamma Gym is now closely linked with trainers and staff at the Fighters Xpress gym in Dandenong, which was completely gutted by a suspicious fire in June last year.

Fighters Xpress has remained closed since the blaze, with its team running classes at Skamma Gym.

Viper detectives and the arson squad were last year investigating whether the Dandenong blaze was connected to any bikie gang rivalries.

The Herald Sun revealed that Sleman “Salim” Aschna, kickboxer and director of Fighters Xpress, was close friends with Comanchero boss Tarek Zahed, one of the most notorious gangland figures in the country.

Stephen Moutafis, who previously worked in the area, said he was not surprised to see the gym had been targeted.

“I just thought it’s not a matter of if, just a matter of when,” he said.

“To see what’s going on with fire bombings, that kind of thing and the use of steroids … it’s just a bit of a turf war.

“No one wants to see this sort of thing happen.”

Investigators are urging anyone with information or who may have been in the area at the time and has CCTV or dashcam footage to contact police. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.