A suspected arsonist remains at large for almost 24 hours after allegedly bombing a government building and a law firm in broad daylight in a “heartless and brutal attack”, as police issue an urgent appeal for the public’s help.
Police are continuing a major manhunt after a legal aid building and law firm were hit in an arson attack in Gosford on the NSW Central Coast.
Incredibly, no one was seriously injured in the incident, which led to a mass evacuation and closed off the city’s CBD just before 2.30pm on Tuesday.
“This is a callous and brutal attack the way it has been carried out,” Chief Inspector Darryl Jobson, commander of the Brisbane Water Police District, told reporters on Friday.
‘This is an incident where the outcome could have been very different, taking into account the circumstances. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured and no fatalities occurred on this occasion.’
Emergency services were initially called to the Legal Aid building on Donnison Street at around 2.20pm on Thursday after reports of explosions.
A short time later, police were called to the Kensmen building on the same street after reports of fire and smoke coming from the third floor.
Chief Inspector Dobson said the suspected arsonist ‘set fire to an improvised explosive device which I would describe as a small, household LPG (liquid petroleum gas) cylinder which caused a fire’.
“This is a callous and brutal attack the way it has been carried out,” Chief Inspector Darryl Jobson, commander of the Brisbane Water Police District, told reporters on Friday.
Dramatic footage taken shortly after 8pm shows around 20 detectives and balaclava-clad riot police descending on a block of flats on Baker Street – less than 100 meters from the Legal Aid offices, which are still being forensically examined.
NSW Police released CCTV footage of a man wanted for questioning over suspected arson attacks on two buildings on Thursday evening (pictured)
“The male subsequently left that location and it appears he found or received another bag from another location of which we are not aware,” he added.
The suspect then transported the ‘canvas bag on wheels’ to the Kensmen building, about 250 meters away.
The man took a lift to level three, where he allegedly detonated another firebomb outside the office of Conditsis Advocaten.
Mr Dobson said investigators did not know whether the man left the second building on foot or in a vehicle.
“Motif is something we are very interested in,” he said Friday.
It is clear that there is a reason why the man went to both locations and we would like to know what the reason is.’
Michael Mantaj, director of Conditsis Lawyers, was among those evacuated from the legal aid building where the explosions were reported.
“I didn’t see the guy, but someone threw a fire bomber. All personnel are counted. Luckily no one was injured,” he told the ABC.
New photos taken on Friday morning show extensive damage to the law offices, which remain closed to staff (photo)
It appears the fire destroyed a door and a wall, leaving scorch marks on the carpet (photo)
Dramatic footage taken shortly after 8pm on Thursday showed around 20 detectives and balaclava-clad riot police descending on an apartment block on Baker Street, 100 meters from the Legal Aid building.
Police have released a CCTV image of a man they wanted to speak to who was seen in the area at the time of the incident.
The grainy photo shows a white-haired man wearing a surgical mask, a dull green cap, a T-shirt and jeans with a bag at his feet.
Police followed a tip and identified no one of interest in the building.
New photos taken on Friday morning show extensive damage to the law offices, which remain closed to staff as the investigation continues.
It appears the fire destroyed a door and a wall and left scorch marks on the carpet just meters from the government building’s public seating area.