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 Suspicions over Bobs Farm store fire 

Suspicions over Bobs Farm store fire

27 Jan, 2010 05:02 PM
POLICE may soon have a better idea as to the cause of a blaze which destroyed the iconic general store and service station at Bobs Farm.

A forensic report into the January 13 fire may be completed later this week.

Detectives are treating the fire as suspicious and checking witness report that a man was seen in the area around 4am when the fire broke out.

"Obviously we treat every fire as suspicious until we can determine otherwise," detective constable Tony Crameri said.

"At his stage it's hard to say where the fire actually started.

"We should know more when we get the report back from Crime Scene investigation."

Four RFS crews responded to the fire to find one petrol bowser and the entire shop engulfed in flames.

A diesel tank containing between 20,000 to 30,000 litres of fuel was just metres away.

A cottage at the back of the building was also lucky to escape severe damage.

Tyson Tesoriero, 19, who had been living and managing the site for the past 12 months was forced to jump from a side window to escape the inferno.

Anyone with information regarding the fire should contact Raymond Terrace detectives on 4983 0599

Meanwhile Tyson Tesoriero's mother Karen, who owns the business, says a new store will be built even though she did not have insurance on the destroyed

premises.

She said was relieved to find her son alive and well, but the site of the weatherboard, fibro shack reduced to a blackened heap was almost too much to bear.

"There has just been too much hard work in the last three years," she said. "The hours, the money, the time."

The original Bos Farm store was originally built for local businessman Arthur Upton around 1914.

Mr Upton ran the store and post office with wife Effie.

His grandson Stewart Upton still lives only metres from the site and said he was shocked to see a family legacy go up in smoke.

The business was widely referred to as Harrod's of Bobs Farm.

Call to upgrade road: See Page 11

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DEVASTATION: Karen Tesoriero and her son Tyson at the fire scene. - Picture by Anna Wolf
DEVASTATION: Karen Tesoriero and her son Tyson at the fire scene. - Picture by Anna Wolf

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