Two teenage boys questioned over an inner-city warehouse fire are expected to be charged with arson, police have confirmed.
An abandoned building in Southbank, Melbourne went up in flames on Thursday afternoon.
No one was inside or injured, however the Clarendon Street premises sustained extensive damage.
The next day, a 13-year-old from Little River and 15-year-old from Safety Beach were arrested at Southern Cross train station. They were released pending further inquiries.
Victoria Police have confirmed detectives were expected to charge the teens with arson as well as with a series of thefts, robberies and an attempted armed robbery in Melbourne’s CBD in recent weeks.
Around 30 firefighters arrived soon after the alert was raised to tackle the blaze, which was sending plumes of ‘suffocating’ smoke spewing into the air.
It took crews about an hour to contain the blaze, which engulfed two small factories near Haig Street.
Residents of Albert Park, Docklands, Melbourne, Port Melbourne, South Melbourne, South Wharf and Southbank were warned to be on high alert.
‘Smoke will be visible from nearby roads and communities,’ authorities said in a statement.
‘There is currently no threat to the community, but you should continue to stay informed and monitor conditions.
Two teenagers are expected to be charged with arson after an abandoned warehouse in Melbourne’s Southbank went up in flames on Thursday (pictured)
detectives were expected to charge the pair with arson as well as with a series of thefts, robberies and an attempted armed robbery in Melbourne’s CBD in recent weeks
The incident comes after boys aged 12 and 13 were questioned over large factory fire in the inner-Sydney Surry Hills in May.
No charges have been laid over that blaze, which engulfed a neighbouring building as well as the seven-storey former hat factory and caused more than a hundred local residents to be displaced.
It was initially feared several people may have perished in the Sydney fire, with the building known to regularly house rough sleepers.
Anyone with information about the Southbank blaze pis urged to call Crime Stoppers.
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