By Tanya Steele
Now labelled as suspicious by police, a Yarra Ranges property in Tecoma caught on fire last week with flames visible to people in Knox on Wednesday 4 December.
The well-known residence on Rocksleigh Ave was host to a multi-service emergency response as CFA units were called out to the house fire just after 6pm.
In the same week, on the same street another fire was reported on Friday 6 December.
CFA media said that 14 CFA units responded to the Wednesday house fire on Rocksleigh Avenue in Tecoma at around 6.03pm and Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and power and gas companies were called to the scene.
“Crews discovered a house well involved in fire and worked with all agencies to extinguish it,” they said.
The area was secured as CFA fought the structure fire, some onlookers reported hearing an explosion before the fire started and the home is believed to be occupied by a well-known artist.
A community warning was issued for smoke in the area and VicEmergency issued a community alert at 6.48pm alerting locals in Upwey, Belgrave and Tecoma to the house fire and that both Rocksleigh Avenue and Dickinson Street in Tecoma were closed.
Police media said that Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating the suspicious fire and emergency services were called to the blaze at a Rocksleigh Avenue residence about 6.05pm.
“No one was injured,” they said.
The fire reignited in the early hours of 5 December and CFA media said Victoria Police remained on site overnight, with fire crews set to return in the morning.
“Three CFA brigades returned on scene at around 3.34am due to hot spots,” they said.
The site was deemed under control at 4.01 am and safe at 4.11am – crews remained on scene to black out.
“A fire investigator and building surveyor was called to the scene,” CFA media said.
Another fire broke out on Rocksleigh Avenue in Tecoma on Friday 6 December and CFA responded to reports of a house fire at around 11:11am.
Two CFA units from Belgrave and Upwey attended the scene and CFA media said crews arrived to find an active structure fire and promptly began containment efforts.
“Once the fire was contained firefighters ensured there were no flare ups within wall cavities – the situation was deemed under control at 11:27 am and declared safe at 12:28 pm,“ they said.
The investigation in to the Wednesday fire remains ongoing.
Anyone with information, CCTV/dash cam footage or who witnessed the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto www.crimestoppers.com.au
