Man charged with arson after suspicious house fire on Smith St, Thebarton causes $50k damage

The occupant of a Thebarton home that went up in flames has been charged with deliberately lighting the fire.

A 72-year-old man, who was taken to hospital with burns to his face after a house fire in Adelaide’s western suburbs, has been charged with arson.

Just before 12.20pm on Saturday, MFS crews and paramedics were called to the home on Smith Street in Thebarton.

An MFS spokeswoman initially said crews were working to get occupants out of the Housing SA-owned home.

However, it was later confirmed that there was only one occupant in the house – who was taken to hospital with burns to his face after being helped by an off-duty nurse who was nearby.

“The fire was contained to one bedroom, with crews containing and putting it out within 30 minutes,” the MFS spokeswoman said.

“Crews had reports that there was another occupant at the home, but that wasn’t correct.

“The sole male occupant has been taken to hospital with minor burns.”

The fire caused $50,000 damage to the home.

The man has been arrested and charged with arson and is expected to appear in court on Monday.

Five fire trucks, along with one support vehicle, and 20 firefighters responded to the fire.

Flames could be seen from one of the rooms along with smoke billowing from the front yard. Picture: Dasha Havrilenko.

The sole occupant, a man, suffered minor burns and was taken to hospital. Picture: Dasha Havrilenko.

Flames could be seen from the street flickering through one window, with smoke billowing out the front of the property.

Smith Street resident Lisa Fitzgerald, 68, said she heard the sound of a house fire alarm going off before she saw or smelt the smoke from her home across the road.

“I was in my house and I heard the fire alarm but I thought it was my next door neighbours house,” she said

“When I came out I saw the guy, he was trying to get in and out of the house.

“We tried to stop him and talk to him, but he wasn’t communicating greatly.

“So we left him there and he was fine, he was sitting away from the smoke in his back garden.

“When the fire brigade arrived they took the man out from his backyard, they didn’t have to take him through the house or anything and he’s gone to hospital.”

A man has been taken to hospital RAH suffering facial burns after a Thebarton home caught fire not long ago. Picture: 9News

A man has been taken to hospital RAH suffering facial burns after a Thebarton home caught fire not long ago. Picture: 9News

The MFS central commander Phil Rogers present at the scene said the house had minimal fire damage because the fire crew was able to attend the house quickly.

“It’s a single storey domestic dwelling which has had a fire in one of the bedrooms and the MFS crew was able to confine it to that area,” he said.

“The rest of the house got a bit smoke affected and has some water damage, but other than that, it is fine.”