Former bikie base afire

Press, 1 August 1977, Page 1

Former bikie base afire

A former headquarters of the Devil’s Henchmen motor-cycle gang was destroyed by fire early yesterday.

The cause of the blaze was still not known last evening, but the police had not been called on to Investigate.

"We have no reason to believe that the fire was auspicious or that any gang rivalry might have been involved.” a C. 1.8. spokesman said. The old weatherboard house, at 354 Armagh Street, was unoccupied when the fire broke out. Two engines from the Central Fire Station went to the address after neighbours raised the alarm about 2 a.m.

Firemen used breathing apparatus to enter the smoke-filled house, but the fire’s hold was too strong, and the whole interior was destroyed.

F i r e-safety officers spent most of yesterday trying to establish the cause of the blaze. While living there, members of the Devil’s Henchmen erected high fences and gates round the house to thwart attacks by other gangs. But fences and dogs did not keep a!' the intruders out, and the house was the scene of at least one pitched battle.

Neighbours said that the gang had left the house a few weeks ago for a flat on the other side of town.

"They never seemed to cause any trouble while they were here, and they were on good terms with most of the neighbours,” one householder said.