Hero tradies save dogs from burning home as man arrested for alleged arson

Hero tradies have sprung into action, saving two dogs from a house fire, while a 32-year-old man from Hillcrest has been arrested and charged with arson.

A group of tradies have come to the rescue of two pet dogs, after a house in Adelaide’s western suburbs became engulfed in flames in an alleged arson attack.

Just before 1.30pm on Wednesday, SA Police and the Metropolitan Fire Service were called to a property on Grange Rd at Findon, to reports that the second story of the building was on fire.

CCTV footage obtained by 7NEWS appears to show a man throwing a liquid on the house before it lights up, while onlookers watched on as a group of tradies cut their way into the property to rescue two dogs.

Following the fire police arrested a 32-year-old man from Hillcrest and charged him with arson.

CCTV footage appears to show the alleged suspect of an arson attack. Picture: 7NEWS

Speaking to 7NEWS, tradie Matt Slade was driving past when he saw the house in flames, and quickly sprung into action, grabbing equipment to cut through the gates.

“What the hell was I thinking, but, I think it was just, right there at the time, yeah, I thought, ‘nah, I’ve gotta do something here,” he said.

After rescuing a puppy from the backyard, Mr Slade and the other tradies realised there was an older dog still inside.

“There was a bigger dog in there (which) we heard, so we tried to get the gate open which was chained, and I said I’m going to get my grinder,” he said.

Hero tradie, Matt Slade helped rescue two pet dogs from a burning house.

HAPPENING NOW: Emergency crews are responding to a house fire on Grange Road at Findon. #7NEWSpic.twitter.com/Xc7hx7facP

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) February 5, 2025

Business owner Rachel Barilla sprung into action from across the road. Keeping the two pets safe until the owner arrived.

“I grabbed my grinder and we grind the chain off and bust the gate open and just went through looking for the dog.”

Across the road, business owner, Rachel Barilla also helped, taking the two dogs and keeping them inside her business until the incident was over.

“I was really worried for the dogs,” she said.

“The flames were hot red and black, and the roof exploded.

The top storey of a house engulfed in flames in an alleged arson attack.

“There’s lots of people (who would’ve ignored) a house like that, could have walked past and not cared, so it’s nice to see that people were happy to help.”

The two pets were home alone when the home was allegedly firebombed, and were returned to their owner after being assessed by a vet.

Emergency crews quickly extinguished the blaze, with Fire Cause Investigators and police suspecting that it was deliberately lit.

The man did not apply for bail and appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Originally published as Hero tradies save dogs from burning home as man arrested for alleged arson