Insurers of Busselton’s The Goose restaurant sue cleaners for $7.1m amid allegations over 2021 fire

The insurers for the owners of an iconic South West restaurant are taking their former cleaners to court, with claims their inaction putting out a fire cost millions of dollars and resulted in the business’ two-year closure. Q & Z Group — insurers of the Goose Beach Bar & Kitchen owners — have filed a civil lawsuit in the Supreme Court this week, suing Jasmin Cleaning Services owners Renato Serraon and Jasmin Serraon for more than $7 million after a fire destroyed the beachfront eatery in 2021. The lawsuit alleges the cleaners’ failure to remove burning oil-soaked tea towels from a tumble dryer led to the fire — despite their knowledge smoke was coming from the dryer. The cleaners were also allegedly told to use a fire extinguisher and to remove the burning items. Documents obtained by the Busselton-Dunsborough Times and The West Australian show Q & Z Group allege an employee placed the tea towels, which had been washed after being “saturated with cooking oils”, in the venue’s dryer. They allegedly left at about 9am on April 11, 2021. At about 3am the next morning, it is claimed the defendants were cleaning the venue when Ms Serraon noticed smoke coming from the dryer and texted the venue general manager Tim Meikle. After informing the manager the power to the dryer had been switched off, Mr Meikle is said to have directed Ms Serraon to put out the blaze using a fire extinguisher. It is alleged this action was not carried out. In the 70 minutes since the text message was sent, it’s alleged the fire in the dryer spread to other areas of the building, causing the venue to be destroyed. The Goose Beach Bar & Kitchen was closed for more than two years as a result of the fire, only reopening to the public in July last year. Q & Z Group is claiming $4.59m in building costs alongside $2.5m in lost profits and nearly $86,000 in other costs. Their claim totals $7,175,652.77. The restaurant employed more than 70 staff at the time of the fire, with former Busselton mayor Grant Henley and Vasse MLA Libby Mettam expressing their shock in the immediate aftermath. During the two years the restaurant was closed, it relocated into a food trailer in the nearby carpark where staff served coffees and burgers.

Insurers of Busselton’s The Goose restaurant sue cleaners for $7.1m amid allegations over 2021 fire

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