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A cafe in Melbourne’s north has gone up in flames, just days after it was targeted in a late-night drive-by shooting.
Loaves of bread and melted chairs sat out the front of Andy’s Cafe in Essendon early on Monday morning after fire crews battled a large blaze at the Mount Alexander Road store.
Police said emergency services were called to the blaze, which has been deemed suspicious, about 1am.
A Fire Rescue Victoria spokesperson said crews arrived within five minutes to find the single-storey cafe engulfed in flames, with the fire then spreading to the roof space. Firefighters deemed the blaze under control at 1.22am.
The fire caused “significant damage to the property”, as well as the Australia Post store next door. The cafe’s interior later on Monday morning appeared completely burnt through and covered in blackened debris.
While no one was inside the closed premises at the time of the fire, police said investigators were told that a dark-coloured SUV was spotted fleeing the scene.
“A crime scene has been established, and an arson chemist will attend the scene later today,” police said.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined and detectives are investigating whether the blaze is linked to a drive-by shooting at the same cafe late last week.
CCTV footage of the early morning drive-by shooting last Friday shows a white Toyota Kluger driving slowly past the venue, as multiple shots are fired into the shopfront.
Police, who witnessed the shooting, said the Kluger fled the scene, but was followed by the police helicopter to a street in Taylors Lakes.
Two men from Keilor Downs, 18 and 20 years old, were arrested without incident, and later charged with a number of offences, including discharging a firearm in a public place, criminal damage and theft of a motor vehicle.
Speaking to Nine News after the shooting last week, shop owner Raymond Yacoub said he had no idea why his business was being targeted.
“It is [a] disaster. Unexpected. I have been here almost 18 years, I’ve never had an issue,” he said.“I wouldn’t have a clue.”
He said it could have been a case of mistaken identity, but that he was relieved the alleged offenders had been caught.
“I haven’t received any threat, anything at all. It’s scary, of course. You never know when it’s going to happen.”
The investigation is ongoing.
