Arsonist on run after Molotov cocktail thrown at house while family slept
An arsonist is on the run after a terrifying Molotov cocktail attack on a home in South Australia.
A flaming missile was thrown through the front bedroom of the Mount Barker residence as a family slept.
The device landed landed just metres away from where the parents were sleeping.
They grabbed their young children from their beds and escaped as the house went up in flames.
“They were obviously woken in the middle of the night by a loud explosion and were terrified, and freezing cold,” neighbour Alison Palmer said.
Neighbours heard the explosion, then a car speeding off.
“I heard a massive bang, I thought, ‘geez, what’s happening out there?'”, neighbour Hayden Day said.
“My curtains were glowing yellow, I looked out the window and the house was on fire.”
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The parents tried in vain to extinguish the flames before fire crews arrived.
Police say the family, who have just moved into the house, are the attacker’s intended target.
The rental home did not have a smoke alarm installed and the damage bill has come to $100,000.
“It could have been very bad for the residents, they were very lucky to get out when they did,” Country Fire Service’s Steve Salamon said.
“Lots of kids in the area, so it’s not nice for that to happen,” a shocked neighbour added.
The father spent the night in hospital suffering from smoke inhalation but is now in a stable condition.
Police are continuing to investigate.
