Breaking: Multiple shops on fire in inner Melbourne

A fire engulfed multiple businesses in Melbourne's inner suburb of Richmond early Tuesday morning after a vehicle was driven into a shop and set alight. Firefighters were called to the busy Victoria Street shopping strip around 4:15 a.m., with more than two dozen fire trucks responding to the scene.

According to police, unknown offenders used a vehicle to ram into a business, subsequently setting it ablaze before fleeing. The fire spread, affecting the storefronts on either side of the targeted establishment. Fortunately, no one was inside the business at the time of the incident.

VicEmergency issued a community alert due to the significant smoke billowing in the area, and Victoria Street was closed to all traffic, including trams, as emergency services managed the situation. Police have cordoned off the area, establishing a crime scene to begin their investigation into the coordinated attack.

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It is understood the storefronts on either side of the business were affected.