Twin arson attack on two Greek restaurants in Canberra
Two Greek restaurants in Canberra under the same brand have been hit in suspected twin arson attacks leaving one destroyed.
Firefighters were called to two Olive restaurants at Mawson and Hawker in the early hours of this morning but were unable to save the Mawson restaurant which was destroyed by the fire. The Hawker suffered significant internal damage.
"Mawson's pretty much to the ground, there's nothing left of it," owner Dimitri Yianoulakis told the ABC.
"It is a targeted attack, I'm not going to lie, someone's obviously targeted our business and caused major damage there's no ifs or buts.”
A spokesman for ACT Policing said they were investigating the attacks as arson.
"ACT Policing is investigating a number of suspicious fire incidents that occurred overnight," he said.
"The first fire was identified at a restaurant at Hawker. It was extinguished by a witness with a handheld extinguisher.
"The second fire was at a restaurant in Mawson. The fire was extinguished by ACT Fire and Rescue, however the premises was extensively damaged.”
Yianoulakis said that once the investigation is complete they will rebuild the restaurant.
"We've got so many bookings ahead, how do you explain to everybody that we can't service you anymore because somebody torched the bloody restaurant? It's gut wrenching," he said.
27th March 2019
