A FIRE gutted multiple businesses along the Midland Parade near Tuohy Lane early on early Friday morning and arson detectives are continuing to appeal for public assistance in the investigation.

As investigations continue, police have released further CCTV of the incident, and an unknown male they believe may be able to assist with the investigation.

Police are also investigating links to the tobacco wars in the eastern states.

About 2.30am on Saturday morning, police and Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) were called to a fire at a business on Great Eastern Highway.

Emergency services found the vehicle inside the premises and the building on fire upon arrival.

Arson squad officers conducted a fire scene examination determined the fire was deliberately lit.

Initial CCTV footage captured a white Nissan Navara pulling into the empty carpark in front of Dan Murphy’s Midland at about 3am before looping around and crashing into A-Deal Tobacconist’s shopfront.

A man could be seen exiting the vehicle and running from the scene shortly after the shop was rammed.

Police have now revealed the car used in the incident was stolen on October 8 from a property in Aveley and that the Midland tobacconist had not been involved in criminal activity.

The cost of damages is estimated at half a million dollars.

Rewards of up to $25,000 are available for information that leads to the identification and conviction of an arsonist.

All reports can be made anonymously.

Anyone with CCTV, mobile phone, or dash-cam vision of the area between 1.30am and 5am, can upload it direct to police via this link.