By Arjun Ramachandran
Police are looking for about eight men who entered a karaoke bar in the city last night and threw petrol bombs inside the karaoke rooms, before fleeing.
Last night's attack is the latest in a string of incidents at karaoke bars in the city. Police are yet to establish the motivation for the attack, and cannot say whether it was linked to previous incidents.
A small number of patrons were singing inside Karaoke World, on Elizabeth Street, at the time of the attack, but no one was injured, police said.
"About 9pm a number of males have entered into the premises and thrown bottles with accelerant - Molotov cocktails basically - into a number of rooms of the bar and left the area," acting Inspector Leonard James from City Central police said.
"All the Molotov cocktails thrown, I don't know how many, [started] a fire.
"The internal sprinkler system put most of the fire out, and the Fire Brigades came along and put the rest out."
About 40 patrons were evacuated from the bar, a Fire Brigades spokesman said.
No one was injured in the attack, acting Inspector James said.
The karaoke bar is in the basement of the building.
There were no visible signs of fire damage outside the bar this morning.
"There was not a lot of fire damage but when you add the water damage to it as well, you've got a considerable amount of damage," acting Inspector James said.
Police could not say what may have sparked the arson attack, nor describe the attackers.
It was too early to say if the men had been at Karaoke World before the attack, acting Inspector James said.
Karaoke World has 18 rooms and hosts corporate and private functions. It also has a licensed bar.
In other incidents at karaoke bars, a man was stabbed during a fight in one at Dixon Street, Haymarket, about 3.30am on Monday.
Up to 40 men were reportedly involved in the brawl, police said.
On November 7, an 18-year-old man was stabbed outside a karaoke club on Dixon Street after he went to break up a fight.
Acting Inspector James was not aware of any other recent incidents at Karaoke World.
Karaoke World could not be contacted this morning.
Anyone with information can phone City Central police station on 9265 6499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.