Arson squad officers are appealing for help to identify a person seen around the time of the fire that gutted Mandurah’s Bar Therapy in April as they continue to investigate the deliberate blaze.
Specialist officers from the arson squad released CCTV footage on Friday and put out an appeal to identify a person and a group of runners who passed the heritage bar on Mandurah Terrace in the early hours of April 23.
Investigators believe the fire, which gutted the bar and caused $350,000 in damage, was deliberately lit.
They want to speak to a person seen walking along the nearby boardwalk towards the Mandurah bridge around the time of the fire who was wearing a white-sleeved hoodie, shorts over bike shorts or skins and carrying a blue sports bag.
Detectives also want to speak to a group of runners captured passing the bar on CCTV footage that morning and anyone who was in the area around Bar Therapy between 5am and 5.30am.
The fire caused significant structural damage to the historic bar, which was built in 1928 and started life as Tuckey House on part of the site of the Tuckey family owned Peel Inlet Preserving Works.
Bar Therapy co-owner Marie TeAu told the Mandurah Times the blaze destroyed the bar and half of the roof.
Ms TeAu said they would rebuild but the extensive damage meant it was unclear how long it would take.
The blaze was one of several fires in Mandurah believed to be deliberately lit this year. The Mandurah Forum Kmart store was recently closed for several weeks after a person broke into the storeroom and set it alight, causing damage estimated at $100,000.
Rewards of up to $25,000 are available for information that leads to the identification and conviction of an arsonist.
Anyone with any information relating to the Bar Therapy fire is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperswa.com.au.
