Vic: Revellers set on fire in molotov cocktail club hit

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2009
Vic: Revellers set on fire in molotov cocktail club hit

Eds: Corrects date of incident from Sunday to Saturday and adds detail about burns and charges



MELBOURNE, April 19 AAP - Two people were set on fire when an ejected nightclubber
hurled a molotov cocktail at the Melbourne nightspot after assaulting two security guards.

A 34-year-old man man allegedly threw a plastic bottle filled with accelerant at a
Thornbury nightclub, in High Street, about 2.30am (AEST) on Saturday.

It hit a shop front window, causing minor damage, and set fire to the bottoms of two
patrons' trousers.

A 40-year-old man suffered minor burns.

Police said the alleged offender had been thrown out of the club half an hour earlier
and had assaulted two security guards and threatened to kill them before returning with
the molotov cocktail.

A man was arrested at a Thornbury house later in the morning and charged with conduct
endangering life, criminal damage by fire and arson.

He is expected to appear in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday and is likely to
face further charges.

Detectives have spoken to some patrons and are calling for other witnesses to come forward.

AAP cmb/jpm

KEYWORD: COCKTAIL UPDATE

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