Petrol station owner charged with arson
A PETROL station owner who told detectives he had been assaulted, robbed and tied up by two intruders – who then set fire to his service station and fled – had sparked the blaze himself, police allege.
The 56-year-old owner of the Mount Lambie service station, near Lithgow, has been charged with arson offences over the May 19 blaze, which burnt his Great Western Highway service station to the ground.
An adjoining residence was also destroyed, with the total damage amounting to $1.5 million.
The man was rescued from the fire by passing motorists and hospitalised with minor injuries.
Property Crime Squad detectives yesterday (Wednesday) arrested the man in Wells Crossing, near Grafton, on the North Coast.
He was granted conditional bail to face Grafton Local Court in September on charges of dishonestly for gain destroy property by fire and intentionally destroy property by fire. | 
Regional
