Richmond tobacconist firebombing forces residents to flee

7News Just In · Jul 1, 2026 · 1m

A firebombing attack on a Richmond tobacconist store forced residents living in the upstairs apartment to flee for their lives as flames engulfed the American Grocery and Tobacco store just after 3am. Three alleged arsonists were captured on security cameras fleeing the scene, with police investigating links to a similar attack in Mentone 24 hours earlier. The incident marks another escalation in Melbourne's ongoing illicit tobacco turf war, with authorities expressing concern about the spiralling violence and risk to innocent lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.