A quiet Maidstone street was plunged into chaos at dawn on Wednesday when arsonists targeted two Porsche vehicles at a townhouse, setting them alight before attempting to kick in the front door as flames rapidly engulfed the dwelling and spread to a neighbour.Emergency services were called to 27B Dunedin Street, Maidstone 3012 just after 6:15am today, Wednesday 7 October 2026, following Triple Zero Victoria (000) reports of a car fire in a garage.
Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) crews battled the inferno for more than two hours, using aerial appliances and a rear access 38mm hose line as the roof collapsed and safety concerns hampered entry, in a blaze now deemed suspicious and so severe that the municipal building surveyor has ordered both affected townhouses demolished.
The first target was a black 2020 Porsche parked in the driveway, bearing registration plates ‘941’ and VIN# WP1ZZZ9YZMDA61131, while a second Porsche burned inside the garage. Both vehicles were completely destroyed by fire before the blaze tore through the two‑storey townhouse and leapt to the adjoining property at 27A.
Witnesses and investigators noted signs of a forced‑entry attempt, with offenders trying to kick the front door in as the fire took hold.
FRV firefighters arrived within five minutes to find the garage fire already spreading to the neighbouring townhouse, prompting an escalation to a second alarm.
The roof of 27B completely collapsed, hampering efforts and preventing crews from entering the property on safety grounds. A teleboom was deployed to send water from above, while a ladder platform also operated at the scene.
Under the skilled direction of Commander Alex Faris, FRV crews ran a 38mm hose line in via the back street, cutting through a wooden fence to reach the rear doors in an attempt to get water onto the seat of the fire. FRV also deployed its RPAS drone for aerial support as TV news crews from 10 News Melbourne and the ABC Melbourne covered the blaze.Lord Murray Schoorman from Peak Hour Images was promptly deployed to the incident, on arrival, capturing images of active firefighting operations, the gutted townhouse, the skeletal remains of the two Porsches, and the scorched façade of the homes.
By 8:42am the incident was declared under control, but the damage was catastrophic: both 27B and 27A Dunedin Street suffered such extensive fire damage that the local municipal building surveyor has ordered they be demolished as soon as possible.
The other neighbouring property at 29A (sector 4) was spared the worst, sustaining only smoke and water damage. The two occupants of 27B evacuated unharmed, with Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria also on scene.
Police have labelled the fire suspicious and are investigating the circumstances, including the attempted forced entry and the deliberate ignition of the two luxury cars.
The scene has been handed back to the building owners as the extent of the fire damage is so severe, it is not safely possible to send the Arson and Explosive squad inside the structures.
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