Mawson Lakes man arrested in Bordertown in states South-East after shocking inferno
A Mawson Lakes man has been arrested – almost 300km from the scene – after a ferocious blaze completely destroyed a two-storey home in the northern suburbs on Wednesday.
A man has been arrested after a horror blaze completely destroyed a two-storey home in the northern suburbs on Wednesday – almost 300km from the scene.
Emergency services were called to Greenleaf Court, at Mawson Lakes, after reports of a fire about 2.20am.
When police and fire crews arrived, the home was fully engulfed by the blaze – with flames seen coming from the roof of the property.
Fire Cause Investigators attended the scene and concluded that the fire was suspiciously lit.
Fortunately, no one was home at the time.
Detectives identified a suspect, who was arrested later that morning – in Bordertown in the state’s South-East.
The town is 285km – nearly a 3.5-hour drive – away from the scene.
The man, a 57-year-old from Mawson Lakes, was arrested and charged with arson and acts to endanger life.
He was refused bail and will appear in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a small portion of the property’s roof – which had collapsed – was still billowing smoke into the morning.
Fireys remained at the scene to ensure the blaze was fully contained.
The home’s exterior, including windows and doors, were also fully destroyed.
Entry to the home was not possible due to damage to the structural integrity of the house.
Next door neighbour Michael, 57, said he woke up in the middle of the night to someone “bashing” his front door, initially believing it was a group of “kids playing a prank”.
“I came running out and didn’t see anyone around, I went back inside and noticed there was a glow in my backyard,” the father of two said.
“I came outside, walked around the corner and said ‘Oh’ that’s what’s going on.”
Before emergency services arrived, Michael said he saw “orange flames coming out of the top of the house” and felt devastated for the homeowner.
“The flames were probably the height of the roof, just totally engulfed and it was just lighting up the whole street like it was daylight.
“I wasn’t scared for my property, I was just more concerned if someone was home.”
“As anybody looking at that, you think ‘That’s just devastating’. What exactly is going on there, what’s going to happen next”.
At the height of the blaze, nine trucks – including a specialist aerial appliance – and a command car were sent to the scene, and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus worked to extinguish the inferno to save neighbouring properties.
The MFS said the blaze took 60 minutes to contain and as of 6.30am, firefighters were still at the scene monitoring hotspots.
Earlier in the morning, a MFS spokesman told Five AA at the scene that firefighters arrived and found the blaze was “really intense”.
“We had flames pretty much out of every window,” the spokesman said.
“The guys had to work pretty hard to get it under control and protect the exposures, the other properties around the area.
“We couldn’t commit crews internally. It’s too dangerous and we’ve got floors at a roof caved in and the sub floors carved in as well.”
Police are urging anyone with information that could assist the investigation to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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Originally published as Mawson Lakes man arrested in Bordertown in states South-East after shocking inferno
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