Overview
- Fire crews brought the blaze under control in about 20 minutes, but the 160-year-old building sustained significant damage.
- Victoria Police declared the fire suspicious, set up a crime scene, and said they do not believe it was targeted or linked to other incidents.
- No one was inside when the fire broke out, and officers noted the derelict site is often entered by trespassers.
- The Kilmore Islamic and Community Centre, which owns the property, says the blaze was deliberate and has paused plans to convert the former Wesleyan church into a mosque.
- Police are also investigating a separate Sydney Street fire, which community members say involved a business run by a Muslim resident.