City arsonist

Police charged a 27-year-old man after several allegedly suspicious fires in Melbourne’s CBD on January 6.

Police received a report of a fire at a Lonsdale St hotel at 10.40am.

A fire was extinguished in the linen room of the hotel after the blaze caused extensive damage.

More than 40 people were evacuated as a precaution.

Within a short period of time emergency services also received reports of small paper fires outside buildings on Exhibition St, Haywood Lane and Russell St.

There was no damage in relation to these fires or any injuries reported.

In total six fires were reported.