Fire Ravages the Abercrombie Hotel

The historic Abercrombie Hotel has suffered "sufficient damage" as the result of a suspicious fire early this morning. Emergency services were called to the pub around 2.40am to find the ground floor of the building engulfed in flames. Firefighters successfully doused the fire, but not before it could wreak havoc on the ground floor; the upper levels were also left with smoke and water damage, according to police.

Police established a crime scene at the corner of Broadway and Abercrombie Streets and are reportedly treating the fire as suspicious. Gas bottles, fuel containers, and a sledgehammer were recovered from inside the pub.

Despite this morning's reports from the SMH, part-owner Jaime Wirth told Concrete Playground that his pub maintains no connections to nightclub boss John Ibrahim.

"The only details I have about the fire are from the SMH at this stage. I'm in Bali and have just woken up to it," said Wirth. "The Abercrombie has no links to John Ibrahim, and we have asked these false reports be removed."

The Abercrombie was once a popular live music venue, until it closed its doors in January 2010 in order to make room for commercial construction. In July, it was announced that the pub would reopen. Now a popular uni student hangout, the Abercrombie was originally established to serve local Carlton United Brewery labourers in the once-industrial neighbourhood.