Arson police investigate cause of West Footscray factory fire
Firefighters believe the cause of this week's massive factory fire in Melbourne's western suburbs is suspicious and have called in arson and explosives police to investigate.
Police have taken over the investigation into the fire after firefighters uncovered “sufficient evidence” to indicate the fire may be suspicious.
Metropolitan Fire Brigade chief Dan Stephens said the evidence firefighters had compiled since Thursday's massive blaze would be handed over to police – but warned the fire’s cause may never be discovered.
“The reality is, in something as complex and as large as that, we may never be able to determine the cause of the fire,” Mr Stephens said late on Saturday afternoon.
“But what we believe is that there is sufficient evidence there that we consider that it does warrant further investigation now from [police].
Mr Stephens said the "sheer size and the scale" of the fire, as well as "access issues" had hampered the investigation.
"[It was a] fairly significant-sized building and to gain access, given some of the structural issues, the extent of the collapse the fire has caused ... that makes it very difficult for our fire investigators to go in and ... determine the origin of the fire, and from that you determine what the cause is,” he said.
“Incidents of this nature are very difficult to investigate.”
The fire chief sympathised with locals angered by the clouds of toxic smoke which blanketed surrounding suburbs as well as the “chemical cocktail” which is believed to have flowed into waterways.
He said he was on holidays with family in Geelong on the morning of the fire and could see the smoke plume from there.
“It was clear to me at that point that this was a very significant incident that was going to have far-reaching consequences, that this would cause real disruption to the community,” the fire chief said.
“I think I speak on behalf of the MFB when I say that the residents who’ve been affected by the this incident are uppermost in our thoughts.”
Victoria Police said detectives from its Arson and Explosive Squad would investigate the blaze.
"At this stage we have not been able to analyse the area, as the scene has not been deemed safe," a spokeswoman said. "The exact cause of the fire is yet to be established."
At its peak 140 firefighters battled the blaze, which is not fully extinguished.
"Firefighters have made great progress on the fire overnight and MFB presence at the scene has been scaled back further today," the MFB spokeswoman said.
"The fire is still smouldering and firefighters continue to tackle hotspots assisted by the use of thermal imaging technology."
On Thursday smoke from the fire spread across the western suburbs, causing 50 schools and child care centres to be closed and causing alarm among residents.
The warehouse where the fire started is owned Danbol Pty Ltd, whose sole director and shareholder is Shepparton accountant Christopher James Baldwin.
Mr Baldwin said on Friday that he was cooperating with authorities in the investigation. They are trying to contact a prior tenant of the building.
Maribyrnong Council confirmed on Friday that it had recently inspected the property at the MFB's suggestion, but had found no cause for concern.
The Environment Protection Authority has warned that toxic waste from the fire could flow as far into Port Phillip Bay as Brighton, while Victoria's environment monitor warns it could take weeks or months for a creek polluted by run-off from firefighting efforts to return to normal.
"Smoke from the fire has significantly dissipated thanks to the efforts of firefighters and the community is advised to go about their daily business but limit their exposure to any smoke which may be evident in the area," the MFB said.
Dead fish, eels and birds have washed up along the shores of Stony Creek and the mouth of the Yarra River near Spotswood, Newport and Williamstown since the blaze.
Authorities have placed warning signs at fishing spots along Stony Creek after anglers continued to catch fish at sites including the Warmies at Newport, where the Yarra River meets Port Phillip Bay, on Friday.
EPA inland water expert Paul Leahy warned that contaminated water from the fire could spread to beaches as far away as Brighton.
"We are looking at the north of Port Phillip Bay to see if there is any impact there, our modelling shows [the] most extreme case could be up to Brighton Beach," Dr Leahy said.
Beaches at Williamstown, Altona, Port Melbourne and St Kilda could also be affected.
By late Saturday, Melbourne Water had pumped close to 55 million litres of run-off from the fire out of Stony Creek and into chemical waste facilities and the Western Treatment Plant.
Barriers have been installed to try and stop the flow of chemicals and the water pumping is being followed by a surface skimmer for "scum".
Dr Leahy said the agency had received reports that up to 100 fish had died from contaminants in Stony Creek following the fire.
On Saturday he said results from EPA testing of the creek had found detergents, volatile industrial solvents, ash and soot in the water.
The chemicals include fenols, poly aromatic hydrocarbons, xylene, benzene and ethylbenzene.
"The levels of chemicals are above recreational water quality guidelines," Dr Leahy said.
The EPA has warned people not to swim, fish or wash in Stony Creek and lower Yarra River, or let their dogs drink from or wade in the waterway.
"From an ecosystem point of view the chemicals that we are finding coming in from the fire water site are very high and explain the fish deaths and birds that have been reported to us in the past couple of days," he said.
Vision from an EPA drone showed the contaminants had reached the mouth of the Yarra River.
Dr Leahy said a small amount of contaminated water was still flowing into Stony Creek and that the chemicals should break down in a matter of days, due to their volatility.
EPA commander Marleen Mathias said advice had been provided to a vet this afternoon after a dog had entered the water at Stony Creek.
"If you do come into contact with the water, please there's no need to panic, but you need to decontaminate yourself," she said.
"So take off all your clothes, wash them, wash your hands with soapy water ...
"If a dog does go into the creek we suggest you go to the vet."