Cars torched in suspected arson attack in Hunter Street Mall

Two vehicles were set alight in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Newcastle, with the incident being treated as suspicious.

At about 4.50am on 8 October, witnesses reported hearing a loud bang in the Hunter Street Mall.

“It sounded like a whole lot of noise and then we heard this big explosion,” one told the Newcastle Weekly .

A Toyota Kluger was allegedly set alight by a group of people patrolling the area.

“There were very big flames,” they said.

Photo: Oli Goeldner

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews were quickly called to the scene.

Two trucks and eight firefighters attended and immediately extinguished the blaze.

Minutes later, a separate vehicle one block away was also set alight.

The white SUV belonged to a Cessnock woman staying at a nearby residence.

A FRNSW spokes