Northwood mansion fire: Police arrest two men, aged 20 and 69 after $24million Sydney home destroyed

Breakthrough in $24million harbourside mansion fire as two men, 20 and 69, are arrested over blaze that destroyed luxury home

  • Two men are arrested over luxury home that was destroyed in September
  • A 69-year-old man and a 20-year-old man were arrested on Wednesday morning
  • The $24 million mansion went up in flames around 11pm on September 3

Two men have been arrested over an arson attack that reduced a luxury mansion to rubble.

The $24 million mansion in Northwood, in Sydney’s Lower North Shore, went up in flames on September 3 with specialist forensic officers determining the fire was deliberately lit.

On Wednesday morning Arson Squad detectives searched a property in Wentworth Falls, seizing a vehicle and arresting a 69-year-old man.

A short time later a 20-year-old man was arrested at a property in Punchbowl. 

Police will address the media later today. 

Two men have been arrested over arson attack that reduced a luxury mansion to rubble

The $24 million mansion in Northwood, in Sydney 's Lower North Shore, went up in flames on September 3 with specialist forensic officers later determining the fire was deliberately lit

The $24 million mansion in Northwood, in Sydney ‘s Lower North Shore, went up in flames on September 3 with specialist forensic officers later determining the fire was deliberately lit

The arrests come a day after detectives from NSW Police’s arson squad issued a call for information about the mystery arsonist after their investigation failed to turn up any meaningful leads almost two months on from the blaze.

Police released footage of the street on the night of the fire and called on anyone who spotted a specific van in the area to contact detectives.   

The footage showed the vehicle – described as a silver Toyota HiAce Van with roof racks – driving on and near Cliff Road at the time of the fire.

The street CCTV showed the area was completely dark until a ball of fire erupted inside the Northwood home.

On Wednesday morning Arson Squad detectives searched a property in Wentworth Falls, arresting a 69-year-old man and seizing a vehicle

On Wednesday morning Arson Squad detectives searched a property in Wentworth Falls, arresting a 69-year-old man and seizing a vehicle 

Shortly after a 20-year-old man was arrested at a home in Punchbowl over the arson attack that reduced the mansion to rubble

Shortly after a 20-year-old man was arrested at a home in Punchbowl over the arson attack that reduced the mansion to rubble 

A man was then captured running towards the van a short time after the flames took hold, with police believing he left the scene in the Toyota van.

Specialist Fire and Rescue NSW sniffer dogs were brought in to investigate the fire with the expert animals picking up traces of an accelerant in the ruins of the property.   

Despite the best efforts of two trucks and 50 firefighters, the house sustained significant damage.

No one was home at the time and no injuries were reported. 

Prior to the home being burnt down the property was one of the largest pieces of privately-owned land in the city, boasting a 46 metre water frontage

Prior to the home being burnt down the property was one of the largest pieces of privately-owned land in the city, boasting a 46 metre water frontage 

Prior to the home being burnt down the property was one of the largest pieces of privately-owned land in the city, boasting a 46 metre water frontage. 

The almost 5000-square-metre property jutted down to the Lane Cove River and was bordered by federation-style properties.

The property had been involved in neighbourhood development disputes for the past five years.

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