A grass fire that burned in Dandenong on Sunday may be connected to a number of other suspicious fires in the area.By Glen Atwell
FIREBUGS armed with Molotov cocktails ignited a number of grass fires along Greens Road in Dandenong on Monday.
Two men in a gold Holden Commodore sedan were seen throwing the fire bombs from the car’s windows moments before the fires started.
The first cocktail ignited a grassy medium strip outside the Cummins factory and the second sparked a fire on the corner of Greens Road and South Gippsland Highway, near The Smith’s Snackfood Company.
Cummins employee Kelly, who didn’t want her surname published, said the fire was across the road from the factory and she was thankful the Dandenong CFA extinguished the flames quickly.
“One of our employees phoned the fire brigade and they were here within two minutes,” she said.
Minutes later a much larger fire outside the nearby Smith’s factory caused firefighters more problems.
But hours after the flames had died, firebugs ignited another blaze nearby.
The Dandenong CFA attended the scene for the second time and managed to gain control of the newly lit fire.
Local fire brigades attended to more than 12 suspicious grass fires over the weekend and on Monday.
On Sunday afternoon, a grass fire burned dangerously close to a construction zone of the Eastlink Freeway in Dandenong on Sunday afternoon.
The fire ignited in a grassy area between the Eastlink Freeway and the Dandenong Showgrounds about 5pm.
The cause of the blaze, which was extinguished by the Dandenong CFA, is still unknown.
Construction of Eastlink site was not affected.
Dandenong Police is investigating any possible connection between the blazes.
Anyone with information on the fires is asked to contact Senior Detective Peita Measham at Dandenong Police on 9767 7678.
