Volunteer firefighter charged over arson spree
A volunteer firefighter has been charged over an alleged arson spree in Adelaide’s south early yesterday.
One victim has told 7News the arrested man was actually being paged to attend the fires he had allegedly lit.
Country Fire Service (CFS) volunteers eventually extinguished a truck blaze at Happy Valley, but had to work desperately to stop the flames spreading to the home nearby.
Little did the crews know that one of their own would be charged with torching the truck and starting two other fires.
Two hours before the blaze, homeowner Sot Vardas extinguished a small fire in a pile of wood just metres from his doorstep, and says he soon after saw a man acting suspiciously around a neighbour’s car.
“He said he was a member of the CFS and had a fire shirt on,” Mr Vardas said.
“He said he could smell petrol and he was trying to find the source.”
Mr Vardas’ told his wife to call police.
“The police were here, we were discussing what was going on (then) over the fence we see a glow and then the flames come up,” Mr Vardas said.
Police found the truck ablaze and allegedly arrested the same man Mr Vardas has seen near his neighbour’s car.
“He actually received the pager, he received the call, when the truck was alight, to get back to the CFS,” Mr Vardas said.
The man has been suspended from the CFS, and his name, image and address have been suppressed.
A bail application was refused this afternoon because of the seriousness of the allegations and fears for the public given the hot weather forecast in the coming days.
