Historic Brighton home ‘Spurling House’ razed in suspicious fire
A historic home known as Spurling House has been razed in a suspicious fire, five years after another blaze damaged the 132-year-old property. Police are probing the cause of the fire.
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A historic home in Brighton has been razed in a suspicious fire overnight.
Police are investigating the blaze at Black St, which broke out at the two-storey home just after 2am this morning.
The fire was brought under control by MFB crews in less than an hour, but emergency services remain at the scene.
Detectives have arrived at the scene of the fire, known as Spurling House, on 38 Black Street.
The red brick home, located next to Middle Brighton Station, was under construction and was unoccupied at the time of the blaze.
It was previously badly damaged in a fire in October 2015.
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Plans to knock down the historic home, which was built in 1888 by famous architect John Horbury Hunt, after the initial blaze were brought to a halt in 2017 after Heritage Victoria intervened.
In another attempt to knock the house down, a permit to demolish Spurling House was also denied late last year.
It is understood that the house has been unoccupied since the 2015 fire and had been boarded up.
At the scene this morning, most of the two storey house has collapsed due to fire damage while its two chimneys remain standing.
Several signs reading “biological hazard” have been hung up on the gates.
A local resident, who lives just around the corner from the burnt out home, told the Sunday Herald Sun the condition of the house had deteriorated in recent years.
“It was an eyesore, I’m not sure if many people on the street would be sad to see it gone.
“I don’t think there was any construction work going on there. It was all boarded up and they wanted people to stay away.
“We walk this block everyday. It’s pretty shocking to see something like this happen.”
According to its listing on the Heritage Council of Victoria’s website, Spurling House is the only house designed by John Horbury Hunt in Victoria and is one of just 22 homes designed by the influential Sydney architect.
“At this stage the fire is being treated as suspicious and detectives from Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit will investigate. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000,” a Victoria Police spokesman confirmed.
The Sunday Herald Sun has contacted Heritage Victoria for comment on the fire.
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