Two men have been charged over the fire that destroyed Lismore’s Masonic Temple yesterday.
Police said in a statement, ‘Just after 4am on Wednesday 15 October, emergency services were called to Magellan Street, Lismore, following reports of a building fire‘.
The fire caused extensive damage to the Masonic Temple before it was extinguished by Fire and Rescue NSW.
As previously reported, ‘The fire was extinguished about 6am but both buildings were destroyed, with only the facade of the Masonic Temple remaining intact’.
‘Built early in the early 20th century, the building was used as a theatre training and dance studio in recent years, with hundreds of children being educated there, and many props and costumes reportedly stored on site’.
Officers attached to Richmond Police District attended, established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances of the fire, which they believe was deliberately lit.
They say, ‘About 11am, police spoke with two men in a carpark in Keen Street, Lismore as they walked towards a parked silver Mitsubishi Triton utility’.
‘Police arrested the men aged 36 and 32.
‘They were taken to Lismore Police Station where they were each charged with aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence.
‘Both men were refused bail to appear in Bail Division – Court 1, Thursday 16 October’.
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