Italian restaurant burns down sydney west 20251112 p5zimv.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
Advertisement
Advertisement
This was published 9 months ago

'This is my life': Owners forced to rebuild after fire destroys popular Italian restaurant

Joseph Sahyoun
Joseph Sahyoun

Powered by

The owners of an Italian restaurant in Sydney's west will be forced to rebuild the establishment after a fire ripped through the popular business last night.

Emergency services were alerted to a fire at Savanas in Wetherill Park about 1am.

More than 60 firefighters took over an hour to get the fire under control and prevent the flames from spreading to a nearby Stockland Shopping Centre, however, the building was destroyed.

Advertisement

READ MORE: Menulog to close in Australia, 120 jobs to go

The owner of an Italian restaurant that burned down standing in front of what remains of his business.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Nine

Abi Haddad and Ralph Hanako owned the business for 27 years.

"This is my life," Haddad said.

"My partner, my family, he depends on it, we spent so much money on renovation, you wouldn't believe."

READ MORE: Council mishap sees unauthorised removal of 46 trees

The owners of Savanas in Wetherill Park speaking to emergency services as they continue to investigate the cause of the blaze in Sydney's west.

The owners had the business for 27 years.  Nine

"I hope it's not arson, I hope it's not arson," Haddad said.

Advertisement

The fire is not believed to have been deliberately lit.

READ MORE: Body found in search for missing man in NSW

A dog sniffing the remains of a burned down building.

The owners now hoping to rebuild. Nine

Investigators believe the fire may have started on a balcony attached to the building.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Haddad said they recently completed cosmetic work on the building in preparation for a busy holiday period.

The remains of the restaurant are still a crime scene as investigators continue to find the cause of the blaze.

READ MORE: Why is Donald Trump threatening to sue the BBC for $1 billion?

An Italian restaurant in Wetherill Park has burned down overnight.

The owners had the restaurant for 27 years. Nine

Advertisement

"No indication as yet of what the initial ignition point was. There is a number of things it could have been, whether it's electricity or a mechanical fault, we just don't know yet," Superintendent Adam Dewberry said.

The restaurant's 24 employees are also out of work now.

The business is insured.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

email icon

Contact us

Share a tip-off, video or photo with us

Most viewed in Australia

More to explore