A FIRE that destroyed a church in Sydney's inner west is being treated as suspicious, police said. The blaze broke out in the Uniting Church, on the corner of Helena and Harrow Roads, in Auburn about 1.30am (AEDT) today. It took about 30 firefighters up to two hours to control the blaze, which is still burning in small pockets this morning.
It follows two days of violent assaults, and smashed car and shop windows during violent ethnic clashes in Sydney. It is not known whether the fire, located near an Islamic centre, was linked to the violence.
The cause of the blaze is unknown, but it is being treated as suspicious, a police spokesman said. A crime scene has been established and inquiries into the blaze are continuing. |