Christies Beach man, 72, charged with arson after unit blaze
A man will face court on Tuesday after his unit was destroyed in a huge fire that cause significant damage to adjoining homes.
Police & Courts
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A Christies Beach man who suffered burns after a group of units went up in flames in a suspicious blaze in Adelaide’s south has been arrested and charged.
Police and firefighters responded to reports of a unit fire on Davis Ave, at Christies Beach about 3.30am on Monday.
The fire completely destroyed one unit and spread to adjoining units on each side.
A 72-year-old Christies Beach man in the unit where the fire started sustained minor burns.
He was taken to the Flinders Medical Centre for treatment.
After being interviewed by police detectives, the man was arrested and charged with arson.
He was set to appear in Christies Beach Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
As well as destroying one unit, the fire caused significant damage to the adjoining units.
Neighbour Chris Zuidam, 56, said he woke to a loud bang about 3.00am on Monday.
“It was the middle unit, the windows, the heat just exploded. The windows, bang, I thought it was a car hitting the house,” he said.
Another neighbour John Penman, 64, lived at the back of the affected block.
“Flames were coming up the top of the house there … by the time I came out, I moved my car. The car was getting sort of embers from the fire coming down,” he said.
Mr Penman said by the time he moved his car away from the back of the burning unit, the fire was under control.
Meanwhile, police are investigating a suspicious second unit fire that occurred less than an hour earlier at Kent Town.
About 2.50am, police and emergency services were called to Rundle St after reports of an unoccupied unit on fire.
Residents from adjoining units were evacuated however MFS crews were quickly on scene and contained the fire to a bedroom.
No structural damage was caused to the unit.
Crime Scene Investigators attended the scene to determine the cause of the fire.
Anyone who saw any suspicious activity or has CCTV that may assist the investigation into either blaze is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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