A fire has destroyed the controversial Melbourne nightclub Love Machine. Victoria Police say the nightclub was empty at the time of the incident and no one was injured. Police are treating the fire as suspicious and urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Detective Inspector Chris Murray from Victoria Police's arson squad said, 'We are obviously treating this fire as highly suspicious given the circumstances and the history of this venue.' A witness reported a loud bang and a light-coloured hatchback leaving the scene.
Fourteen Fire Rescue Victoria trucks and 45 firefighters arrived within minutes. A Fire Rescue spokesperson said the blaze took just over two hours to control. Police said an arson chemist would attend the scene to determine the cause.
The front roller-doors of the building had been forced open, and people were captured on CCTV at the scene. Two 20-litre jerry cans were found at the front of the building. 'The behaviour of these offenders is nothing short of frightening,' Detective Inspector Murray said.
Acting Inspector Kim Bramwell said police were confident of finding the perpetrators if the fire turned out to have been deliberately lit. 'We have had a number of interactions with Love Machine over the last 12 months, and we've had some organised crime issues with that as well,' she said.
The club was forced to close by the Victorian Liquor Commission last year amid escalating violence, including a firearms incident where a bullet narrowly missed Western Bulldogs AFL player Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. It follows the shooting death of security guard Aaron Osmani and club patron Richard Arow outside the nightclub in 2019.
