A fire that broke out at a cafe in Vrysoulles in the early hours of Monday was started deliberately, Famagusta police said, after flammable material was found at the scene.
The material was discovered during an examination of the scene carried out at first light.
Famagusta CID officers are seeking accounts from local residents and checking CCTV footage to identify those responsible. The motive is not yet known, but business rivalry has not been ruled out.
The fire was spotted a few minutes before 4am. Two vehicles from the Sergeant Adamos Adamou fire station in Famagusta and two fire engines from the British bases at Dhekelia were sent to the scene.
The fire and the heat caused extensive damage to the whole building and its contents.
