Couple living in caravan near underpass lose everything in arson attack near Gawler

A couple forced to live in a caravan near a freeway overpass have lost everything after their home was set alight in an arson attack.

A couple forced to live in a caravan near an overpass are homeless and have lost everything after they became victims of a suspected arson attack overnight.

Craig Smith and Rebecca Thomas were inside their caravan on Tuesday night when they heard something land on the roof, before exiting to find their makeshift home on fire.

It was about 8.30pm on Tuesday when police and emergency services were called to battle the blaze, which cost the couple the roof over their head and all their belongings.

Craig Smith and Rebecca Thomas lost all their belongings when their caravan was set on fire. Picture: Natalie Vikhrov

The couple were laying down in bed when they heard something hit the caravan and saw flames.

“We came out and with a matter of minutes, the whole caravan was up in smoke and everything was gone,” Ms Thomas said.

“The people that did it went running down towards the tunnel and just yelled ‘sucked in, you guys deserved it’.

“We know it was deliberate, but we also think it was made to threaten us. This is the outcome when you’re living it tough.”

The remains of the caravan after it was set ablaze. Picture: Natalie Vikhrov

Separately and earlier this month, the couple’s caravan set-up near an underpass on Ward Belt Rd drew complaints by some nearby residents who said they were fed up with the state of the campsite.

7NEWS reported residents said “the smell of faeces and urine was unbearable”.

There is no suggestion nearby residents engaged in any wrongdoing or the attack is related to the complaints.

7NEWS reported residents said “the smell of faeces and urine was unbearable”. Picture: 7NEWS

Mr Smith said he believed three unknown teens had targeted his home even though they had cleaned up the area and were planning leave the site.

The 54-year-old tried to save some of their belongings but the couple got out with little more than the clothes they were wearing, their mobile phones and some money.

“Our livelihood was in there but I’m glad I got myself out, my partner out,” Ms Thomas said.

The couple found themselves homeless about two years ago when they were evicted from their apartment in Elizabeth Park for failing an inspection.

Since then, they’ve attempted to stay at three different caravan parks but Mr Smith said each one asked them to move because they had no car.

They were renting their caravan from a company for $600 a month, Mr Smith said.

He added the company charged them $195 to move the caravan when they needed to relocate.

Mr Smith said they had been living on Ward Belt Road, on crown land, for about two months with the permission of local council, who they said allowed them to stay short term.

The couple are now staying with friends nearby but said they plan to move to Whyalla in the coming days for a fresh start.

“We were quite happy in the area, but now the wife just wants out. She’s scared to stay here anymore,” Mr Smith said. “I’m still seeing red.”

Crime scene officers attended the scene to determine the cause of the fire while police were on scene on Wednesday morning for further investigations.

Gawler Mayor Karen Redman was quick to condemn the arson attack.

“It’s somebody’s home … it’s just not good enough to light a fire and have an arson attack,” she said on ABC radio on Wednesday morning.

Ms Redman said while the fire was on the Light Regional Council side of a nearby local government area border, the arson actions did not reflect the attitudes of ratepayers in the area.

“I think our ratepayers are very in tune with our homeless people … we have a caring and compassionate response to our homeless people,” she said.

Ms Redman said the council had been proactive in working with agencies such as the Salvation Army, Rotary and SA Police to support homeless people in the area.

“We had 15 homeless (in the area) and we moved some into housing and some of them got full time jobs,” she said.

Originally published as Couple living in caravan near underpass lose everything in arson attack near Gawler