Woman detained as Henley Beach South house fire causes $1m in damage

Police are investigating a house fire which they believe was deliberately lit in Adelaide’s west. See the video.

A woman has been detained as police investigate a house fire they believe was deliberately lit in Adelaide’s west on Saturday night.

Fire crews attended the scene of a home fully engulfed in flames on Seaview Rd at Henley Beach South just after 7pm.

They extinguished the blaze but an estimated $1m damage was caused.

A fire, believed to have been deliberately lit, destroyed a house at Henley Beach South on Saturday night. Picture: Dean Martin

Extensive damage was caused. Picture: Dean Martin

A woman from the premises has been detained under the Mental Health Act and was taken to hospital for assessment but no one was injured.

Fire Cause Investigators and Western District CIB have been conducting an investigation into the incident.

Neighbours of the destroyed property at Seaview Rd Terence McAssey said he was alerted to the blaze by a “dark fog”.

“I noticed dark fog coming over and then I went onto the balcony and smelled smoke,” Mr McAssey, 54, said.

A house at Henley Beach has been extensively damaged by fire thought to be deliberately lit. Fire crews arrived to Seaview Road to find the premises fully engulfed. A woman who lived in the house has been detained under the Mental Health Act for assessment. #7NEWSpic.twitter.com/A76m8JcWEh

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) April 2, 2023

Terry McAssey and his daughter, Mackinley, 14, are neighbours to the property. Picture: Dean Martin

He was concerned that the fire would spread through tall trees in the neighbourhood as embers are carried in the wind.

“The houses are fairly close together and they’ve got established trees and it looked pretty serious.”

The neighbour described how the “surreal” incident unfolded quickly.

“It was dark and there was poor visibility and it (the fire) was moving very quickly,” Mr McAssey said.

“This thing came across and it was like Armageddon.”

“People have come down to have a rubber neck and a bit of a sticky beak,” he said.