A winner of popular dating show Love Island has hit out after a restaurant owned by her brother was destroyed in a suspicious fire.
South Australia Police and firefighters are investigating after Bar 83, a popular pizza restaurant in Glenside, was destroyed by a suspicious fire in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Emergency services were called just after 3am, with firefighters arriving to find the premises “well alight” and an adjoining business under threat from the blaze. It took firefighters 50 minutes to contain the fire but the bar was “completely destroyed”.
“Police Fire Cause Investigators attended the scene and believe the fire was deliberately lit,” an SA Police spokesperson said.
Claudia Bonifazio, the sister of Bar 83’s owner Dion Bonifazio, is now trying to use her platform as an influencer to bring attention to the attack and to raise money for the business, especially as it was not insured.
“[Dion] has put his heart, soul, sweat, tears and certainly a lot of money into this business,” she said on social media.
“We are so extremely saddened and devastated by this act of arson its incomprehensible.”
She also had a message for anyone found to be responsible for the fire.
“And to the scum who caused this, karma is real. I promise,” she said.
Police have not made any arrests or laid any charges in relation to the blaze.
Ms Bonifazio has also started a GoFundMe campaign to help the bar get back on its feet, with the entire business destroyed in the fire
“It is so upsetting having to tell your staff they’ve lost their job, due to something completely out of your hands … my brother is honestly just so disheartened. So upset, distraught, shattered, beside himself, there isn’t one right-enough word to explain how a business owner can feel in this moment,” she wrote in the description.
“…I personally am helping as much as I can, unfortunately I can only do so much.
“All donations will go straight to Dion’s business, as well as the landlord, who is unfortunately requesting money ASAP.”
SA Police are currently investigating the fire, with authorities also called to Osborne Street after a stolen black Subaru Impreza was found on fire.
They are urging anyone with information about either incident to contact Crime Stoppers.