![\"Isabel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4798354ec8b3dcd6d68086a830301af7f32ad566fd0f19acdeda86a7b5f15020.png\")
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Firefighters say they are responding to fire activity at levels they \u201chaven\u2019t seen before\u201d as another suspicious arson attack gutted two businesses in Melbourne\u2019s west overnight.<\/p>\n Emergency services were called to a warehouse business premises on Hudsons Road in Spotswood around 2am on Tuesday after multiple residents reported hearing strange popping noises.<\/p>\n One resident, who didn\u2019t want to be named, said she woke up to clouds of smoke rising from the area just before 2am. She said that in the time it took to call Triple Zero, the smoke quickly turned into bright orange flames.<\/p>\n \u201cBy the time the fire brigade arrived, it was an inferno. It was just mad,\u201d she said. \u201cWithin 15 minutes, it went from crackling sounds and smoke to a full-blown fire.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking at the scene early on Tuesday morning, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Greg Christison said that while he understood the blaze to have been suspicious, he couldn\u2019t comment on how it started.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had our fire investigation team attending earlier this morning, and we\u2019re working very closely with Victoria Police to determine the cause of the fire,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cUpon arrival, our crews were able to identify a fire that was burning with some intensity, and we escalated our response very quickly. At the height of the fire, we had 14 fire appliances on the scene here with a number of specialist aerial appliances. We\u2019ve had over 50 firefighters, and we still have some specialist equipment coming to the fire round here this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n The blaze was brought under control around 4.45am with crews still on the scene to put out the \u201cremaining pockets of fire\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, two premises were completely gutted,\u201d he said. A number of surrounding businesses were also impacted. Nine people were evacuated from the buildings.<\/p>\n Witnesses at the scene told this masthead that a car had been rammed into the front of a lawyer\u2019s office operating at the site.<\/p>\n When asked to confirm how the arsonists gained entry to the factory, Christison said he couldn\u2019t comment. \u201cIt\u2019s too early in the firefight, but we are treating the fire as suspicious.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s our job as a fire service to protect the community from fire, and we\u2019ve been very busy of late. I think we\u2019ve all seen many media reports of the activity levels through Metropolitan Melbourne and surrounding suburbs.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cThe activity levels at the moment are like we haven\u2019t seen before.<\/p>\n \u201cOur job, we\u2019re ready to respond. Our crews are professionally trained, and that\u2019s our job. So, we\u2019ll always respond to fire. Frequency just varies depending on different circumstances and time of day, but our job is to protect the community from fire, and we do it very well.\u201d<\/p>\n Police confirmed the offenders were seen fleeing the area in a ute, but the direction they fled in is unknown. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Police](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/aaa94ef87932fb737de1b377c67ae31640b9653c.jpeg\")
Police are investigating a suspicious fire in Spotswood this morning.<\/p>\n![\"Flames](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/377b6cda4f67c5dfc3b0bdaf763af953a99b08b192e5a6c8ecbb30f86770eb1a.jpeg\")
Flames could be seen from the property around 2am. <\/p>\n![\"Witnesses](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/228c416ca208a95fce82a670413e2db600f28236.jpeg\")
Witnesses told this masthead a car had rammed the propety.<\/p>\n![\"Police](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779755413_579_e8d435a2a4de7bc38dd73559d5c44978e0da6aef.jpeg\")
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