VIC: Million dollar fire at community centre suspicious

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-1998
VIC: Million dollar fire at community centre suspicious

MELBOURNE, Dec 12 AAP - Fire caused more than a million dollars damage to a community
recreation centre in Melbournes outer east last night.

More than 45 firefighters took over 90 minutes to control the blaze that swept through the
Doncaster and Templestowe Recreation and Community Centre,in Lower Templestowe, about 11.30pm,
the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) said.

The fire began in the gymnasium of the two-storey building that is used as the training
centre for the Victorian gymnastic team.

It threatened to spread to the adjoining basaketball courts but the damage was mostly
confined to the roof and a common wall.

The MFB said efforts to bring the fire under control were complicated by interior straw
roofing.

Crews remained on site overnight to extinguish hot spots in the smouldering ruins.

Police said the cause of the fire was unknown but it was being treated as suspicious.

AAP jmr/jjs

KEYWORD: RECREATION

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