Detectives from Warrnambool have identified a person of interest as part of their investigation into a house fire that threatened the safety of a man and his two children in Cobden earlier this year.
Investigators are now making a fresh appeal for information after they released an image of a silver Mazda 3 last month, which was seen travelling at speed towards Camperdown just minutes after the fire on Mitchell Street on Thursday 5 February about 6.17am.
The deliberate fire engulfed the front façade of the home after a man, who has been captured on CCTV, splashed an accelerant at the fire to intensify the flames.
Just by chance the father of the two children, aged five and 16, was still at home before leaving for work and heard the loud ‘whoosh’ as flames forced their way into the interior of the home.
The victim attempted to fight the fire and immediately called emergency services before fire authorities attended and extinguished the blaze.
The trio were extremely lucky to escape injury.
Warrnambool Crime Investigation Unit detectives have been working on the investigation for the last seven months and have today released CCTV which shows a man at the front of the property when the fire takes hold, using the suspected accelerant.
Investigators have also released vision of the silver Mazda 3, which has an external sunshade on the back left window and damage to the back left bumper, on Camperdown-Cobden Road five minutes after the blaze.
The man is described as wearing a distinctive blue jacket, black pants and runners. The jacket’s hood was pulled up and it appears the man is wearing something on his face.
Detectives believe the attack was targeted and continue to investigate the motive behind the incident which at this stage remains unclear.
Investigators believe there are people in the local community with information and are hoping the release of the vision and the appeal helps progress the investigation.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, with information or with dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Quotes attributable to Warrnambool Crime Investigation Unit Detective Sergeant Andrew Raven:
“This was a deliberate and incredibly reckless act. A father and his two children were inside the home at the time, and we are extremely fortunate that all three were able to escape without injury,” she said.
“The consequences could have been devastating, particularly given the children could have been asleep when the fire was lit.
“We’ve been working tirelessly on this investigation for the past seven months and we believe we are getting close to identifying those responsible.
“We have followed a number of avenues of enquiry, but we have reached a point where we need the community’s help to take that next step.
“Today we are releasing vision of a person of interest and we’re asking people to please come forward if they have any information about the fire or the man seen in the vision.
“Even something you think is insignificant could be the piece of information detectives need to resolve this investigation.”
