‘How are we supposed to rebuild?’: Rochester salons torched just years after devastating floods

The owner of a small business in regional Victoria who could not afford insurance after devastating floods in 2022 is unsure how she’ll be able to rebuild after her shop was this week destroyed by fire.

A Central Victorian tobacco store in Rochester was destroyed by fire. Picture,: ABC Central Victoria: Sarah Lawrence

The owner of a small business in Rochester who could not afford insurance after devastating floods in 2022 has been dealt another blow, falling victim to the state’s raging tobacco wars.

A hair salon and a barber shop in the heart of Rochester were gutted by fire after arsonists torched a tobacco shop under the same roof in the early hours of Thursday.

The blaze ripped through Maxavily for Hair and The Town Barber on Mackay St after a vehicle was reversed into the smoke shop and set alight about 5.20am.

Maxavily for Hair is destroyed by fire just years after being devastated by flooding.

A nearby tobacco store is destroyed by fire. Picture: ABC Central Victoria: Sarah Lawrence

It is particularly devastating given the pair of small businesses were still recovering from the deadly floods that shattered Rochester and much of northern Victoria in October 2022.

Angie Simpson-Morgan, who owns Maxavily salon, said her insurance premiums had skyrocketed after the floods and so she could not afford to insure the contents inside.

The small businesses were still recovering from the deadly 2022 floods. Picture: Jason Edwards

And while Ms Simpson-Morgan hasn’t been able to access the shop given the insecure structure and pending police investigation, she expected much of what was inside to be destroyed.

“My roof is completely gone, the fire must’ve been seriously intense for it to have done that much damage in such a short amount of time,” she told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“We aren’t insured because we were just flooded two years ago and couldn’t get insurance, how are we supposed to rebuild our businesses now?

“I was either refused insurance or it was just that ridiculous that we couldn’t afford it.”

The floods were a brutal hit to the town. Picture: Jason Edwards

Ms Simpson-Morgan said another brutal hit to Rochester and her business, that she has owned since April in 2022, felt like a kick in the guts.

She said she was grateful for the Rochester community for creating separate fundraising pages for the two affected businesses.

“I was getting there, our family has been through a lot. I have no words,” she added.

“I’ve got nothing. I spent all of my savings fixing it last time. I’ve got nothing left now.”

The Town Barber, owned by 32-year-old Matthew McMillan, suffered further damage on Thursday morning.

A Central Victorian tobacco store in Rochester was destroyed by fire.

Mr McMillan had been living in the back of the shop and had spent countless hours regrouping after the flood event two years ago.

“Consequently my shop The Town Barber has been affected quite severely with the building and my personal living quarters potentially pronounced condemned,” he said in a statement.

“As shattering as it is losing everything that I have, I can say I’m glad that both me and my dog Ruby were not present at the time of the incident.”

There have been well over 110 fires linked to the illicit tobacco trade and Thursday’s blaze remains under investigation.