Woman, 27, charged over blaze that significantly damaged Geraldton’s historic Mercantile Club building

A 27-year-old woman has been charged over the blaze that gutted the historic Mercantile Club building last week. The initial damage bill from the Marine Terrace fire was estimated at $750,000, but police now say it is expected to be “well over $500,000”. Geraldton detectives arrested Utakarra woman Casey Shaelene Woods at Regans Ford — about 300km from Geraldton — on Tuesday. Officer-in-charge Det-Sen. Sgt Bruce McDonald said the arrested woman was taken to Joondalup Police Station and interviewed. Ms Woods was charged with failure to reasonably ensure that an ignition source would not cause a fire that could not be controlled. She faced Perth Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and was bailed to reappear on September 21. She is required to live in Perth as part of her bail conditions. Det-Sen. Sgt McDonald said while the investigation was ongoing detectives would not comment on how or why they believe the fire was lit. “We will allege Ms Woods was alone when she (allegedly) started the fire and at this stage we don’t know why she (allegedly) targeted the premises or started the fire,” he said. The bottom level of the two-storey building is leased by Hippie Haven, a locally-owned clothing and homewares store, while the top storey hosts a darts club a few days a week. Det-Sen Sgt McDonald said all stock from the clothing store was destroyed by either the fire or smoke damage and expected the total damage bill to be “well over $500,000”. The blaze started about 10.30pm on Wednesday, September 7. Emergency services extinguished the fire about two hours later on Thursday, September 8. Police believe the fire was started at the back of the building. The Mercantile Club building, built between 1893 and 1910, is yet to be fully examined by an assessor for structural damage, which is why a final damage bill has not been confirmed. Surrounding buildings were left unscathed. The day after the fire, Hippie Haven owner Tracey Pluschke told the Guardian she was devastated to have lost many years of hard work and love put into the store. “Nearly the whole store has smoke damage,” she said. “Some (products) could be salvaged with washing but it’s pretty bad. All the windows are just black with the soot from the smoke.” Geraldton detectives ask anyone with information regarding the fire to come forward.