Helen and Geoff Packer escape Glen Ave, Unley Park house fire thanks to hero jack russell Vivienne

Hugely successful business owners and the in-laws of Power captain Connor Rozee have escaped a massive house fire at Unley Park thanks to their hero jack russell pooch Vivienne.

Hero jack russell Vivienne alerted Unley Park residents Geoff and Helen Packer to a huge fire that engulfed their home on Friday morning. Picture: Tim Joy

A hero jack russell has saved the lives of a successful business couple and parents in law of Power captain Connor Rozee from a fire in their million-dollar Unley Park home.

Metropolitan Fire Service crews rushed to the luxury Glen Ave home around 3am on Friday after a blaze broke out outside the home before quickly spreading and causing up to $2m in damage.

The fire is believed to have caused up to $2m damage to Geoff and Helen Packer’s Unley Park home. Picture: Tim Joy

Hero jack russell Vivienne alerted the Packers to the blaze when their smoke alarms failed to activate. Picture: Tim Joy

The fire started outside the house about 3am on Friday before quickly spreading into the roof space. Picture: Tim Joy

Owners Helen and Geoff Packer were alerted to the blaze by their jack russell Vivienne after smoke alarms failed to activate, with the couple and their hero pooch all quickly fleeing the home uninjured.

The Packers – who have lived at the home for 25 years – are part of a well-known Adelaide family, with Geoff founding successful wardrobe company Packers.

His son Seb is now the managing director of the Maylands-based company, and also owns and operates BOUNCEInc and TreeClimb. Seb’s daughter, Maisie, is married to Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee.

A brave neighbour attempted to put out the flames with his garden hose, but the fire was too fierce.

Seb (left) and Maisie Packer from TreeClimb, with Lennan Whiting from ForestrySA, in Kuitpo Forest in 2021 when TreeClimb opened a new site there. Picture: Matt Turner.

Port captain Connor Rozee and Maisie Packer at Port Adelaide best and fairest red carpet at the Adelaide Convention Centre last year. Picture: Brenton Edwards

It is believed the fire started in a car or outside power box, before spreading to the carport and roof space. It took crews more than an hour to extinguish the flames.

A family member told The Advertiser the property’s smoke alarms were shorted by the fire.

Investigators say the blaze has caused between $1m and $2m.

According to the MFS’ Nicole Bradley, firefighters found the carport of the large single-storey home on fire when they arrived on scene.

The fire had spread through the roof space, “severely impacting” the home.

Seven trucks, a command vehicle and 30 firefighters went to the scene.

“Firefighters in breathing apparatus externally battled the blaze due to the risk of structural collapse,” Ms Bradley said.

The fire was contained in around 40 minutes and extinguished 20 minutes later.

A car was also destroyed in the blaze and smoke was still visible through large holes in the roof.

Fire investigators are working to determine the cause.

Originally published as Helen and Geoff Packer escape Glen Ave, Unley Park house fire thanks to hero jack russell Vivienne