Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) crews responded to a house fire in Bulleen this morning, following multiple calls to Triple Zero (000).
The Toorak Times immediately deployed chief crime reporter and leading photographer Lord Murray Schoorman of Peak Hour Images to attend and photograph the scene.
Crews arrived on scene within 8 minutes to find the single storey brick townhouse, issuing smoke and flames.
Wearing beathing apparatus (BA) firefighters conducted a search and determined that the home was vacant at the time of the incident. Crews worked quickly to extinguish the fire, bringing the incident under control within 30 minutes, protecting neighbouring properties.
One occupant, who was not on scene at the time of the incident was located, safe and well.
The cause is yet to be determined. Specialist fire investigators attended the scene and have advised the cause is suspicious.
Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria were on scene to support firefighting activities.
Firefighters will remain on scene for some time, to ensure the fire is fully extinguished and the fire duty pod is collected.