| James Kon |
A FIRE ripped through a bicycle shop in the Serusop area early yesterday morning, following a suspected incident of arson and burglary.
Nineteen firefighters from the Berakas Fire Station, led by SO Jasni, were dispatched to the scene after an emergency call was received by the Fire and Rescue Department, at around 5.07am.
The front door of a nearby tailor’s shop was also damaged in the blaze.
“On Sunday, we noticed that the locks to our shop were broken. We immediately reported the matter to the police,” the bicycle shop owner Tong told the Bulletin.
Photo shows damage to the entrance of the bicycle shop
The aftermath of the blaze. – PHOTOS: JAMES KON
He believes that the thieves managed to break in later that night, through an air-conditioning vent, and may have started the fire after stealing seven bicycles.
Tong, whose business is uninsured, estimates that his losses are around $20,000, with the stolen bicycles worth more than $3,000.
According to the Fire and Rescue Department, the Royal Brunei Police Force has launched an investigation into the cause of fire, which is being treated as suspicious.
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