Three people evacuated from suspicious blaze on busy Melbourne road

Victoria Police investigate second suspicious fire in as many days Wed 1 Jul 2026 at 6:33am Trams have been suspended, and a major inner-city road has closed as police investigate a suspicious fire at a tobacco store in Melbourne's east overnight. Emergency services were called to a building on Bridge Road in Richmond about 3.30am and found the ground floor of the shop engulfed in flames. A search of the building found no one was inside the tobacco shop at the time, but three people were evacuated from a neighbouring building. The fire was brought under control about 4.27am, but fire crews remain on the scene. Victoria Police say the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation and is being treated as suspicious. Yarra Trams were notified to suspend services on Wednesday morning, while Bridge Road was closed in both directions between Church Street and Lennox Street. The incident is the second suspicious fire in as many days, following a suspected ram raid and arson at a shop in Mentone on Tuesday morning. [Image text:] NNDED FOOD.COrt