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Blaze is third setback in a year for Orelia shop

Jaime ShurmerWeekend Kwinana Courier

A FIRE that tore through Kwinana Fish and Chip shop in the early hours of Wednesday morning has left owners Nick and Shona Phillips reeling.

The incident is the third setback for the Orelia store in 12 months.

The shop was broken into a year ago and in September and elderly gentleman mistakenly drove his car into the store which forced the shop to close for a month.

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But when Mr Phillips got the call at 2.30am that his Hennessy Avenue shop was badly damaged he certainly did not expect to see it in a blackened state.

"It's gut wrenching. What will happen next? We are nowhere near enough insured for what its done," he said.

The couple have three children, and Mr Phillips said he was not insured to loss of income.

Padlocks from the roller door, $140 in notes was taken from the till with the coins remaining but a charity tin for the Bikers Against Child Abuse also missing.

"I am happy it hasn't gone through the other shops," he said.

He said nothing seemed to be salvageable.

Arson Squad investigators attended the site on Wednesday.

"It's very sad, I don't know what people are thinking sometimes when they just want to destroy things."

Mr Phillips said he would love to see the shop up and running again because it had been a big part of their loves for the past nine years. The store had experienced no incidents when it was at the Kwinana Hub.

The vacant Orelia Deli adjacent to the fish and chip shop suffered some smoke damage but the Family Fair Supermarket next door was unharmed.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services were called to the fire about 1.25am on Wednesday morning.

Anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.