Victoria
Deer Park Asian grocer damaged in overnight firebombing
An arson investigation is underway after an Asian grocery store on Ballarat Road in Deer Park was targeted in an overnight attack.
An Asian grocery store in Melbourne's west has been damaged following an overnight firebombing, with police searching for the perpetrators who remain at large.
The incident occurred at a business located on Ballarat Road in Deer Park, according to a wire report. Emergency services were called to the scene to find the premises damaged by fire, although the full extent of the destruction and the precise time of the attack have not yet been publicly detailed.
Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, which is being treated as targeted. No arrests have been made, and those responsible for the attack managed to flee the scene before police arrived.
Details regarding how the fire was started or the exact nature of the incendiary device used remain unconfirmed. It is also currently unknown if there were any occupants inside the building at the time of the attack, or if any injuries have been reported. Police have not yet released descriptions of any suspects or vehicles seen in the vicinity of Ballarat Road around the time of the blaze.
Ballarat Road is a major arterial route through Deer Park, and investigators are expected to appeal to local businesses and motorists for any dashcam or closed-circuit television footage that may have captured the offenders.
Police are urging anyone with information about the incident or suspicious activity in the area overnight to contact Crime Stoppers.
Watch for updates from Victoria Police regarding potential suspect descriptions and the progress of the arson investigation.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
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