Neighbours say there was a loud bang before a massive fire destroyed a Geelong mosque overnight.
The former church-turned-mosque in Geelong was engulfed in flames when crews arrived shortly after 2am on Wednesday, the CFA says.
The heavy bluestone walls contained the fire and prevented it from spreading to nearby houses as 40 firefighters worked for 50 minutes to bring it under control.
An arson chemist and detectives are investigating and the blaze has been deemed suspicious.
It's the fifth fire at a place of worship in Geelong since October. The previous four fires were at churches.
The building may have been targeted because it looks like a church.
"We are not at this stage comfortable saying it's an attack on the people of a Muslim faith," Inspector Graham Banks told reporters on Wednesday.
"The building is not what people would envisage a mosque might look like."
Police say they have never had any issues with the thousands of people who worship at the mosque - which has been operating out of the building for 23 years.
The Anglican Church has offered Geelong Muslims the use of a church hall for Friday prayers.
FIRES AT PLACES OF WORSHIP IN THE GEELONG AREA:
- October 2015: 140-year-old St John The Evangelist Catholic Church, Bannockburn
- December 2015: Baptist Church in Spruhan Street and St Peter's on Sparks Road, Norlane
- April 2016: Geelong West Presbyterian Church in Pakington Street
- May 2016: Mosque in Bostock Avenue, Manifold Heights
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