The historic Ky-West Hotel near Kyabram and Tongala has burnt down this week. The family-run pub, and popular meeting place for the district’s Irish residents burnt down after a suspicious fire started before midnight on Monday 21 March.
CFA firefighters battled the blaze for more than two hours into Tuesday morning before the fire was under control. Nobody was injured in the fire.
Arson investigators are appealing for information from the public who may have been driving on Graham Road, Tongala between 11:30pm and 11:45pm.
Local, Tegan Brooks, has organised a fundraiser for the Ky-West Hotel team:
“Our favourite little town pub has been destroyed by a fire… Help me, help them, please… I can only imagine waking up this morning would have been a living nightmare for the owners so I would love to raise some money to help them get through, while they pick up the pieces and rebuilt their life and take away some of the financial burden this family is about to endure.
If you can spare anything it would be appreciated. Let’s help them pick up the pieces together with action over words.”
You can support the fundraiser here.
The Ky-West Hotel was established in 1876 by Irishman John Meehan.
