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Community & Business

3 August, 2021

Investigators continue combing site for clues

INVESTIGATORS continue to comb through the burnt remains of both Hort St Cafe and Floral Magic in search of evidence to determine what triggered the blaze that caused both businesses to burn to the ground in the early hours of last Friday morning.

By Michael Warren

Investigators have spent the past week combing the scene for clues and evidence to determine how the fi re started.
Investigators have spent the past week combing the scene for clues and evidence to determine how the fi re started.

INVESTIGATORS continue to comb through the burnt remains of both Hort St Cafe and Floral Magic in search of evidence to determine what triggered the blaze that caused both businesses to burn to the ground in the early hours of last Friday morning.

Detective Senior Sergeant and Officer-in-Charge of The Tablelands CIB Brett Devine told The Express early last week that initial investigations suggested “that at this stage the fire doesn’t appear suspicious”, however that viewpoint is subject to change if contradictory evidence is uncovered.

Just days ago Mareeba Police Senior Sergeant and Officer in Charge Derek Garner echoed Mr Devine’s comments.

“Nothing much has changed as far as the investigation, there’s been no new information to suggest there were any suspicious circumstances around the fire,” Mr Garner said.

“In recent days our scientific officers, to my knowledge, have not been able to complete their scientific examination due to the (structural) instability in the area.”

The most recent fire comes a month after a separate blaze, thought to be deliberately lit, burnt Performance Motors to the ground in the early hours of June 29. 

The four juvenile females held to account for allegedly committing that crime have already appeared before the courts and will again do so during appearances scheduled throughout this month.

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