On Sunday 29 June, a house rich in history was burned down in Lilydale.
The house, built in the 1920s, was passed down between generations, until its abrupt destruction.
Lilydale, Mount Evelyn, Yellingbo, Bayswater and Coldstream firefighters responded to a call at around 10.40pm, upon arrival they could see smoke emitting from the roof, before the roof went up in flames.
The house was located right behind the Lilydale Masonic Lodge, a building that burnt down as well in December of 2023. Mr Davis said the house was also owned by the Masonic Lodge.
The brigades cleared the building and got the fire under control in around 15 minutes, and a thorough inspection confirmed there was no one on site.
“I’d say around 80 per cent of the house was destroyed,” Lilydale CFA captain Warren Davis told Star Mail.
“It is a suspicious fire, and police are investigating.”
The house has been a site of suspicious activity before, with a previous resident having multiple complaints made against them.
“He had amassed a whole lot of junk that he picked up on the street, he used to raid the clothing bins and scatter the clothes all over the backyard and he’d set fire to them,” the captain said.
After that man was evicted, Mr Davis said another moved in and did similar thing, so the house was a familiar site for the CFA.
Mr Davis encourages anyone who has any information or knows anything about the blaze to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.
A Victoria Police spokesperson has confirmed they are investigating the fire as it is believed to be suspicious, at this time there is nothing to make the police think it is connected to any other activity.
“The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the blaze remains ongoing,” the spokesperson said.
Police are aware that while the property was unoccupied it is believed to be frequented by squatters.
Mr Davis said the property had been “securely fenced off to the public” and council personnel were notified to check the integrity of the building.
He believed it likely that the building would need demolishing.
Yarra Ranges Council was contacted for comment.
