'Significant structural damage': Suspicious fire tears through Launceston building

Fire has damaged a building in the Launceston suburb of Punchbowl, in a blaze police are treating as suspicious.

Emergency services were called to Punchbowl Road just before 4:30am on Friday.

Firefighters arrived to find the building 85% involved in fire, the Tasmania Fire Service said.

Police initially said it was believed the structure was an abandoned building.

A police spokesperson later confirmed the building was unoccupied.

The spokesperson said the building sustained “significant structural damage”.

“The fire is being treated as suspicious,” the spokesperson said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously, quoting 810373.