Adelaide Barber's Defiance After Suspected Linked Arson Attacks
Dramatic CCTV footage has emerged showing a fireball erupting inside a barbershop in Adelaide's north, in what police suspect is one of two linked arson attacks. The vision captures three individuals arriving in a car outside Solis Barber Studio on Hancock Rd, Ridgehaven, around 2am, forcing their way inside, and setting the premises alight with a liquid accelerant, causing an explosive blaze within seconds.
"It just exploded, I'm surprised the guys didn't hurt themselves," said co-owner Jemal Cassar, 20, who had only opened the business a few months ago. "It was a massive explosion, it was terrible." Firefighters rushed to the scene but were unable to save the extensively damaged building, with adjoining businesses also affected by smoke and water damage.
Second Fire in Nearby Suburb
Approximately 45 minutes later, emergency services were called to a second fire in the nearby suburb of Thorngate, at a prestige home on Fitzroy Tce. The quick-thinking owner extinguished the blaze in the front yard before it could damage the house, and no injuries were reported in either incident.
South Australia Police confirmed they are treating both fires as suspicious and believe the incidents are linked. Detectives and crime scene investigators spent the morning combing both locations as the investigation continues.
Business Owner's Resilient Response
Despite the devastation, with Cassar stating "nothing is salvageable" from his barbershop, he demonstrated remarkable resilience by setting up his barber chair on the footpath outside the gutted shopfront. This defiant act underscores his determination to keep his business running amidst the ongoing police probe into the suspected arson attacks.
