Teenager Critically Injured in Melbourne Arson Attack Ordered via WhatsApp

A 13-year-old boy remains in critical condition with severe burns to his upper and lower body after an alleged firebombing incident on Woolwich Way in Taylors Hill, located in Melbourne's north-west, on Monday morning.

The youth was part of a trio allegedly instructed to target the address by intermediaries using aliases on the messaging platform WhatsApp. During the incident, two vehicles were set on fire, causing damage to a nearby residence and destroying both cars.

FAILED ESCAPE AND POLICE INVESTIGATION

Following the firebombing, the three individuals attempted to escape in an allegedly stolen vehicle but crashed moments later. Video footage shows two individuals fleeing the scene on foot, abandoning the 13-year-old while he was engulfed in flames.

Police are expected to examine phone data as a primary element of their investigation into the attack. Friends of the victim, who attends a secondary school in Melbourne's northern suburbs, described him as loyal and caring while expressing hope for his recovery.

WIDER WAVE OF MELBOURNE ARSON INCIDENTS

The Taylors Hill attack is part of a series of arson incidents reported across Melbourne over consecutive nights. Multiple vehicles were recently torched in Springvale, Reservoir, and Oakleigh East, following fires that damaged properties in Balwyn North, Maidstone, and Keilor.

The incident follows previous cases in Victoria where arson attempts resulted in severe injuries or fatalities. Last month, a man in his 20s suffered life-altering burns during an attempted attack on a tobacconist in Melton. A 52-year-old man died after spending nearly six months in hospital following an attack on a Chapel Street dessert bar. Additionally, 27-year-old Katie Tangey died at the beginning of 2025 when arsonists mistakenly targeted a Truganina townhouse where she was house-sitting.