Firefighters facing potential ‘death traps’ in tobacco wars

Firefighters called to Melbourne’s wave of tobacco wararsons are confronting “extremely dangerous” scenes that are putting members lives at risk, a confidential union briefing reveals.

Firefighters called to Melbourne’s wave of tobacco war arsons are confronting potential death traps, a confidential union briefing says.

The United Firefighters Union document obtained by the Herald Sun outlines the risk to members who have in the past 18 months been called to more than 100 torchings of smoke shops and businesses linked to combatants in the illicit tobacco conflict.

It states that those officers are being confronted with a risk much greater than in a normal structure fire.

It rates as “extremely dangerous” the tobacco arsons, which frequently involve cars which are driven into shops before fuel is splashed around and ignited.

“In the context of tobacco fires, where an accelerant is being used to perform damage to that structure as quickly and intentionally as possible, the unintended consequence is that firefighters are responding to a potential death trap,” the assessment said.

Police have released dramatic footage of a arson attack on a Glenroy tobacco store

Adhering to strict key performance indicators meant that danger to firefighters in a regular structure fire was within a range where the potential for death from heat and flame was “not imminent”

That changed in a tobacco fire, the briefing said.

“Firefighters responding to the tobacco fire are being left with a decision to enter an extremely dangerous environment, more so than the average fire,” it stated.

“Performing a rescue could also potentially result in a loss of firefighter life in attempting to rescue/retrieve said persons.

“Additionally, in most cases the structural integrity of the building is compromised due to the utilisation of a motor vehicle being rammed into the building. Again, this is an added hazard to firefighters due to potential structure collapse, and heightened exposure to debris.”

A tobacco shop on Cheviot Rd in Campbellfield lies in ruin after it was destroyed in an arson attack. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

UFU secretary Peter Marshall said he stood by “every word” of the briefing.

Fires linked to the tobacco wars have been a scourge in Melbourne since early last year.

The issue forced Victoria Police to create the Lunar taskforce to tackle the outlaw trade.

Lunar has made some significant arrests of key players and heavy seizures of tobacco products, vapes and cash profits from the outlaw sector but the fires have continued.

The state government announced earlier this month new laws which will impose tight regulation with heavy penalties for those who sell illicit tobacco and vape products.

Two tobacco shops were suspiciously razed by fire in Coburg.

It was revealed by the Saturday Herald Sun earlier this month that the criminal syndicates bringing in illegal shipments now had a greater share of the market than any of the big legal operators such as Philip Morris and British American Tobacco.

The gangs’ piece of the $15.5 billion pie is estimated to be 36 per cent.

Consumers have flocked to their shops because of the massive price difference between their product and smokes which are sold lawfully.

The trade is attractive to organised crime because of the combination of low penalties, massive profit margins and the comparative ease of with which tobacco can be brought into Australia.