A stroke of "sheer luck" is all that stopped lives being lost in a series of suspicious fires that injured two children and destroyed a home linked to a former bikie.
Emergency services were called to five fires at homes and businesses across Melbourne between 9pm on Sunday and 6am on Monday.
At about 3am, flames were seen coming from a double-storey home at Thomastown, with 29 firefighters containing the blaze to the front two bedrooms on the first floor.
The property is reportedly linked to underworld figure, former Mongols bikie and professional boxer Suleiman “Sam” Abdulrahim.
The home was empty at the time and the fire was deemed suspicious.
Police were called to the same street in May over a drive-by shooting and failed attempt on Mr Abdulrahim's life.
Detectives are checking on any links between the Thomastown fire and the fire-bombing of a Port Melbourne hairdresser on Monday morning.
A person living above the store fled the building and was not injured.
One primary school student, a teenage girl and a woman in her 40s were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.
A Porsche SUV was driven into the Bay Street business at about 1.30am with the shop then set alight.
The car and shop were destroyed.
Detective Acting Inspector Adam Henry said the outcome could have proven tragic for those above.
"It is only through sheer luck that we are not investigating multiple fatalities as a result of these suspicious fires over the past 24 hours," he told reporters.
"To light a fire in a business with no regard for the occupants living above it is completely reckless."
"We have said many times before that those responsible for arson attacks such as this show zero regard for the lives of others and that it is only likely a matter of time before we see someone killed as a result."
Police have been told a person was seen running from the scene and brought in a chemist along with Arson and Explosives Squad detectives to investigate.
The long-running illegal tobacco war between gangs fighting for control of the market appears to be continuing with a Cairnlea shop in Melbourne's northwest set alight about 6am.
There were also fires in Richmond and Patterson Lakes overnight which police have deemed suspicious.
It is believed a man set fire to his own apartment, which spread to four others, in the Richmond fire about 9.15pm on Sunday.
The 37-year-old was arrested at the scene and will be interviewed in relation to the alleged arson.
A disused retirement village in Patterson Lakes then went up in flames at about 1.20am on Monday.
