Tragic twist of fate emerges after an ‘innocent’ young woman was killed in a ‘deliberately lit’ townhouse fire – as her heartbreaking final words are revealed
A woman house-sitting while her brother was on his honeymoon was burned alive by arsonists who attacked the wrong target, police believe.
The 27-year-old woman, who was the only occupant, called triple-0 shortly after 2am on Thursday and desperately told them she was trapped in the burning house in Dover St in Truganina, West Melbourne, and could not escape.
Firefighters arrived around 2:14 a.m. to find the three-story townhouse in flames.
The fire was so intense that firefighters were only able to extinguish the flames at 4:30 a.m. when a search was conducted and the woman’s body was found.
The victim has yet to be formally identified and a pet is also believed to have died in the fire.
Detective Inspector Chris Murray of the Arson and Explosives Squad confirmed on Thursday that the woman was looking after the home for her brother who was on his honeymoon.
“What I can say is this: this person is completely innocent and should not have died,” Det Insp Murray told the newspaper Herald Sun.
‘We have no history on this person, nor on the family. In fact, she’s the type of girl who doesn’t go out much, and it was probably the first time she was really away and alone, babysitting her brother.
Firefighters were unable to save the life of a 27-year-old trapped in a townhouse in Melbourne’s west in the early hours of Thursday.
“He’s on his honeymoon and she’s been subjected to the most disgusting, despicable act imaginable.”
Det Insp Murray said police did not believe the attack was linked to the ongoing tobacco wars, which have led to more than 100 arson incidents in Victoria.
However, the random nature of the attack led police to believe it may have been a mistake.
‘We’re stuck. The building, the family and the individual lead us nowhere. Therefore, the only logical conclusion I can draw is that they have the wrong premises,” Det Insp Murray said.
“There seems to be a fascination with using fire to solve crime, solve beef, solve acts of revenge. These are the consequences we are seeing, and they are serious consequences. This girl did not deserve to lose her life.”
CCTV footage from a nearby building shows two suspected arsonists parking in front of the house
CCTV footage from a nearby building showed that TTwo alleged trespassers parked a small dark SUV or hatchback outside the home around 2:03 a.m. before jumping the fence.
They were seen getting back into the car around 2:10 a.m. and driving away, with flames shooting out of the house.
“We know that two occupants got out of that vehicle. An accelerant was poured into the house and subsequently engulfed the property,” Det Insp Murray told the Herald Sun.
“Whether their intention was to damage this property or simply to incite a scare tactic… now they’re staring at a murder, murder charge.
‘We are looking for two murderers. Let’s be clear about that.
“I know the type of people who do that: they do it for a few hundred dollars, thinking they’re going to burn something down. This was only a matter of time.’
Fire Rescue Victoria commander Callum Donoghue said the fire likely started on the ground floor of the house and escalated to “extreme” temperatures well above 200 degrees Celsius.
As the fire caused temperatures estimated to reach 200 degrees Celsius, the building was left as a gutted wreck
Arson police have begun investigating the cause of the fire and have established a crime scene at the mansion
“The house was completely gutted from the inside,” the commander said.
‘Access was very difficult for our firefighters, so an external attack was launched.
“Firefighters are currently assisting the arson crew with photography to determine the full cause of the fire.
“Around 2.15am there was a loud banging sound and within minutes the whole house was on fire,” he said.
A local resident said this Herald Sun She was in her backyard around 2 a.m. when she heard loud, back-to-back bangs.
“It sounded like fireworks,” she said.
The resident claimed she saw the flames rising high above the roof of the mansion.
‘We are working with Wyndham Vale Council regarding the safety of the property through their building engineer.’
A Truganina man told Daily Mail Australia he remembered hearing a loud noise after midnight.
‘The roof was completely engulfed. It was brutal.’
“It was quite disturbing, knowing that people might have been there.”
The municipality warned of smoke in the immediate area.
Police have urged anyone with information to come forward by contacting Crime Stoppers.