Vic: Premier urges public to dob in Marysville arsonist

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2009
Vic: Premier urges public to dob in Marysville arsonist

BALLARAT, Vic, Apr 17 AAP - Victorian premier John Brumby is urging anyone with information
on the Marysville firebug to contact police as detectives close in on the arsonist.

Police have interviewed a Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteer over the blaze that
killed 38 people on February 7 but no one has been charged.

A police information caravan will be set up in Yea on Saturday and police are appealing
to the public for help.

"I encourage the public ... if there's anything at all suspicious that they know about
the fires on February 7 they should visit the caravan, everything will be treated in confidence
and I urge the public to do that," Mr Brumby said.

The premier said police were working hard to find the arsonist responsible for the
Marysville fire and an arrest would help residents heal.

He would not speculate on the suspect being a CFA member and possible screening to
identify arsonists in the fire service.

"If we get to the stage in the future where someone is charged and someone is convicted
that unquestionably, of course, would help bring closure," he told reporters.

"But you can't preempt that and you can't speak about specific cases, but generally
with these things, if you've been a victim of the fire knowing the cause of it ... all
of these things help with families and help bring closure."

AAP cmb/jxt/bwl

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC MARYSVILLE

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