Myer's Tasmanian woes

TASMANIA: It seems department store Myer just can't cut a break in Australia's most southern state. Less than 12 months after a fire gutted its Hobart store, its outlet at Launceston has been damaged by a fire police claim may have been deliberately lit.

The Tasmanian Fire Service (TFS) confirmed the store suffered extensive water damage after the fire, which is believed to have begun in a change room on the third floor on Saturday afternoon  (August 9).

It was quickly extinguished when the building's sprinkler system activated, but the sprinkler activation resulted in water damage to the store. Customers were evacuated from the building as firefighters worked with staff to prevent further water damage across three floors.

A spokesman for the TFS said at this stage the cause of the fire was still under investigation, with the matter being handed over to Tasmania Police.