The police are treating a fire which broke out in a car dealership in Paphos as arson, Paphos police assistant operations director Michalis Nikolaou said on Saturday.

He explained that initial investigations carried out by both the police and the fire brigade concluded that the fire “was started maliciously”.

He said the police were informed of the fire at around 2.45am on Saturday, and that while the fire brigade “rushed to the scene” and extinguished the fire, “serious damage had already been caused”.

In total, eight cars, 11 motorcycles, three electric golf buggies, and a jet ski were destroyed by the fire, while the building itself and other equipment on display also suffered what Nikolaou described as “extensive damage”.

The scene remains cordoned off, with the police’s investigation into the matter ongoing.