28 September 2010

Further thoughts on the Downer Club

| johnboy
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[First filed: Sep 28, 2010 @ 11:03]

burned out downer club

Some more thoughts on the burning of the Downer Club:

    1) In the last few months people well known to me attempted to gain entrance to have a look around. It was bolted up so well they gave up.

    2) This means whomever was responsible for the suspicious fire either had special means or was particularly motivated.

    3) Despite this the police are making the highly unusual step of not forensically investigating the fire.

    4) This is is because the Tradies Club, who owned it before looting the poker licences and letting it run down to the point it could hopefully be rezoned for building apartments, had let it run down to such a dangerous state.

    5) Over the years the club has been closed anyone trying to lease it from the Tradies has been turned away without interest.

I leave the drawing of further conclusions as an exercise for the reader.

The real losers are the local astronomers who invested so heavily in the site as a community facility before the change of management.

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arthwollipot10:49 pm 28 Sep 10

At the moment, awaiting further evidence, I’m assuming that it was an insurance job.

Mars appears to be unusually bright

A bigger mystery is why it took so long for a fire to occur. I assume a development application will be lodged shortly.

As a former ANU astronomy student I just think it’s fantastic to see Johnboy so excited about astronomy!

yebbut the bloke what set it all up was on 666 that morning bemoaning that they hadn’t got everything out and that stromlo wouldn’t let them set up a planetarium up there. i rekkun he’d know what was inside and what he lost.

astrojax said :

just because a site is slated to be demolished does not imply that it has no value. fittings, windows, etc can al be salvaged prior to a demolition. this apart from the cogent response from caf.

That stated on the news that professional thieves had already been through the place removing the Copper wiring etc.

building, not biolding, whatever that is…

buzz819 said :

Another thing to consider is, if the building was vacant and set to be demolished, then the building holds no value, why would an investigation take place for something that holds no value?

there were projectors and other artefacts in the biolding that were also destroyed, i understand. and just because a site is slated to be demolished does not imply that it has no value. fittings, windows, etc can al be salvaged prior to a demolition. this apart from the cogent response from caf.

Well hopefully if they decide to conduct the forensic examination they’ll let us know so I can happily correct the record.

Another thing to consider is, if the building was vacant and set to be demolished, then the building holds no value, why would an investigation take place for something that holds no value?

Because the crime of arson doesn’t hinge on the value of the property destroyed?

Another thing to consider is, if the building was vacant and set to be demolished, then the building holds no value, why would an investigation take place for something that holds no value?

A forensic investigation for a fire will probably tell the investigators what type of accelerant is used and where the point of ignition was, but with the fire destroying most of the building and the Firies destroying what’s left of the evidence with water to extinguish the blaze, what do you think a forensic investigation will yield?

Secondly, just because people you know did not gain entry to the building, what’s stopping someone else being able to? Or even find a window that isn’t boarded up and throwing a molotov though it?

JB,

Just to fill you in on the practice of any fire investigation. A Forensic examination does not occur until the building has been declared safe to enter (lest the building collapse). This is the same for all fires. The examination will occur when the building is safe to enter or made safe to enter by being knocked down first.

It is far from a highly unusual step.

johnboy said :

follow the link?

yeah, i did. I find your statement that they are not forensically investigating the fire disingenuous to say the least. Not going into a building until it’s been made safe doesn’t equate to not investigating.

The fact of the matter is that yesterday I saw a forensic investigator of my aquaintance on the site working.

“3) Despite this the police are making the highly unusual step of not forensically investigating the fire”

So there’s a police statement saying this or just conjecture?

follow the link?

Bloody unions.

Waiting For Godot1:02 pm 28 Sep 10

First Tradies closes the legendary 83 Restaurant at Woden and replaces it with a gambling hall, now this. Not a good look at all, and not even a grand final win from the Raiders next year will sweeten the smell of this stench.

It’s a laydown misere as to what has happened here. No need for an investigation, and there will probably be no insurance claim as that’s not what this fire is all about. It’s all about redevelopment.

It is suspicious, therefore it should have been investigated.

Kind of like that nightclub.

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