Man charged and refused bail following fire that destroyed Bilbul home and former bakery

A 31-year-old man has been charged and refused bail following a fire that destroyed a house in Bilbul Place, Bilbul last week.

At about 12:45 am on Friday (31 January), emergency services were called to a residence to respond to reports of the fire.

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Fire and Rescue MIA teams responded and put out the blaze, but the house was destroyed.

No one was injured.

Officers attached to Murrumbidgee Police District responded and arrested the man nearby.

He was taken to Griffith Police Station and charged with aggravated break and enter, committing a serious indictable offence, damage of property by fire, three counts of hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of duty and common assault.

He appeared before Griffith Local Court on Friday (31 January), where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on 20 March.

RFS operational officer Justin MacKellar told Region the fire was a challenging assignment for the volunteers from Bilbul, Hanwood, Yenda and Griffith who were up all night to extinguish the blaze.

“The RFS were called back at 4:30 am to put out fires that had reignited and to keep it contained and make sure it didn’t impact neighbouring properties,” he said.

“Most of our RFS troops then had to go to their normal day jobs the next day.

“Our guys also went back at 4:30 pm on Friday afternoon to assist with an overhaul and to help clean it up.”

The dwelling was the site of the Bilbul Bakery between 1934 and 1962.

Former bakery employee and 2MIA community radio host John Bortolazzo expressed his sadness about the fire on social media.

“It serviced the Bilbul area and as far as Hanwood, Beelbangera, Yoogali and parts of Griffith,” he said.

“I did my four-year apprenticeship there from 1953 and worked there until it closed in 1962.

“In that time, it was also the social hub for the Bilbul younger set.

“A lot of great memories in that place.”