Firefighters hampered by debris in attempts to save Adelaide house

Firefighters hampered by debris in attempts to save Adelaide house

A man will face court on Monday charged with arson over a fire that destroyed the home and possessions of a Grange man.

The intense fire broke out at the Yorkshire Street home just before 2am on Saturday and gutted the house, causing about $350,000 damage.

The house, occupied for many years by a man known for hoarding items around his small property, is likely to be knocked down because of the damage.

On Sunday, detectives of the Western District CIB arrested a 29-year old Grange man and charged him with one count of arson.

He was refused police bail and will appear in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday.

The occupant of the home managed to escape the fire without injury, while nearby residents including Kon Stefanidis flocked to fight the blaze with garden hoses.

“But it was too wild — it was out of control,” Mr Stefanidis said.

“I’m shocked. I’ve known (the resident) all my life so it’s sad for everyone. For him, he’s lost everything.”

MFS fire commander Rainer Kiessling said the large amount of furniture and other items made the job harder for firefighters.

“On arrival we were faced with a property with a very heavy fire load due to a lot of clutter and hoarding on the premises,” he said.

“The initial attack crews had issues with access to the house.”

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, was woken about 2am to the sound of people yelling in the street.

“We were all worried that the resident was in there,” she said.

“He’s well known around the place. It’s heartbreaking for him because he had everything in there.”

— with Elizabeth Henson