Police have launched an arson investigation into a suspicious fire that last week destroyed the former Protectaprint factory at Beverley in Adelaide's west.
The vacant, 50m by 20m single-storey factory in Wodonga St was well involved in fire when several Metropolitan Fire Service crews arrived at the scene. Witnesses reported hearing a series of explosions before the building erupted into flames. “It started knocking stuff off the walls when the explosions started," a local business owner told Adelaide's The Advertiser.
More than 30 firefighters took about 45 minutes to contain the blaze and it was another before the flames were fully extinguished.
Police said no one was inside the building at the time and no one was injured. The building’s roof collapsed during the fire and the cost of the damage was estimated at more than $100,000.
Western Adelaide CIB are investigating the incident and ask anyone with information on the fire, including persons or vehicles seen in the vicinity of the factory in Wodonga Street, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The factory was previously owned by Protectaprint before being sold off last year to Opus subsidiary McPherson’s Printing. It's understood the Protectaprint operation had just relocated out of the factory in recent weeks.