Suspicious fire damages Darwin sushi restaurant

A suspicious fire has caused major damaged to a Darwin sushi restaurant overnight, forcing guests at a neighbouring hotel to be evacuated.

Darwin fire and police officers have cordoned off the area surrounding the Go Sushi Train and Outback Grill on West Lane in the city centre while investigations take place.

Major damage to the storage shed behind the sushi train is visible, and officers say it is likely to be where the fire was started.

Guests at the Crown Plaza were evacuated just before 2am when the fire begun.

Go Sushi Train operator Toshi Manolis said she was upset by the damage.

"I feel really sad, so upset me because I love this business and I have so many beautiful customers who come every day over 150 people, same people. They're going to be very upset, maybe even more than I am," she said.

Ms Manolis said she wasn't made aware of the fire until her staff called her this morning upon arriving at work.

"Too many things damaged -ceiling come down, air conditioning come down, everything, but we don't know what's inside because we're not allowed to go inside."

The area is likely to remain cordoned off for most of today. Ms Manolis says she is not sure how or if the business will recover.

"At this moment I can't say anything," she said.

Northern Territory Police officer Peter van Boxtel said the entire building was engulfed in flames on West Land when crews arrived last night.

He said the walls around the sushi train restaurant prevented fire from entering the dining area, but caused the most damage to the above spaces.

Ceiling parts and air-conditioners collapsed into the sushi train and most of the building is subject to water damage.

Mr van Boxtel said a similar fire happened two weeks earlier and was likely to have started from the same place.

"It would appear the wheelie bins on the outside that were up against the roller door, may have been a point of ignition," he said.

"Investigation is continuing but probability is the fire started in the wheelie bin."

Source: ABC News, 12 July 2012