In the early hours of the morning around 4:15 am, fire services were swiftly dispatched to the Hogans Corner Shopping Centre, situated at the intersection of Hogans Road and Derrimut Road in Hoppers Crossing, in response to a reported firebombing incident.
The distress call, made to the emergency hotline (000), indicated that explosions had been heard and flames were visible at the site, prompting an immediate and coordinated response from first responders. Police reports suggest it was a tobacconist shop that was the target.
Upon arrival at the scene, emergency personnel were met with the sight of black smoke billowing from the shopping centre, raising concerns about the extent of the incident. Approximately 11 emergency vehicles, including fire services, police, and ambulance units, were dispatched to the location to address the situation and ensure the area’s safety.
The incident is being treated as a suspected arson case, prompting authorities to designate the area as a crime scene. An arson chemist will attend later today to determine the cause but at this stage, the fire is being treated as suspicious.
Investigators are currently on-site conducting interviews and working to piece together the sequence of events that led to the firebombing. The motive behind the incident remains unknown at this time.
