- Port star Brandon Zerk-Thatcher caught up in blaze
- Occurred in Adelaide around 2am on Thursday
AFL star Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and his girlfriend had to flee for their lives when a suspicious fire threatened to engulf his Adelaide home early on Thursday morning.
The Port Adelaide player got a rude awakening around 2am when an Audi parked in the driveway next to his Glenelg home burst into flames, which quickly spread to the property.
Zerk-Thatcher and his partner Abbey Whitfield only had enough time to grab their two kittens as they ran to safety.
‘I got woken up to my partner waking me up. There were a few loud bangs, she said there was a fire … [I]looked out the window and sure enough, the neighbour’s car was on fire,’ the Power star told Seven.
‘It was pretty quick, by the time we opened the door it just got to our house so we got our cats and ran out of there.
‘[It] was lucky we got out, we just watched from across the road, hoping the fire brigade would get here.
Port Adelaide star Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and his girlfriend Abbey Whitfield (pictured together) fled his Adelaide home when a fireball spread to the property on Thursday
The blaze engulfed an Audi parked at the townhouse next door (pictured) and spread quickly
Police are treating the fire as suspicious after it destroyed the car and home
‘[It] was actually good timing, otherwise our side would have got chopped up a bit more.
‘When my partner woke me up it was the first thing she said, “grab the cats”.
‘It was pretty scary, definitely makes you question if it’s safe to live here.
‘There was a jerrycan left here so I dare say it was a bit suspicious.’
Seven reporter Peter Caldicott said the couple were fortunate to escape unharmed.
‘Him and his girlfriend Abbey were just very, very lucky to get out safely. They grabbed their two cats, Pickles and Olive, … and ran for their lives,’ he said.
Caldicott added that the car was a ‘total fireball’ when emergency services personnel arrived.
South Australian Police confirmed the fire is being treated as possible arson.
The couple only had time to rescue their cats Pickles and Olive as they ran outside
Zerk-Thatcher (pictured left) joined the Power last year after four seasons with Essendon
‘On arrival, patrols found the Audi sedan was fully alight with the fire having spread to a nearby home,’ SA Police said in a statement.
‘Firefighters worked quickly to bring the fire under control however the car was destroyed, and extensive damage was caused to the house. Thankfully no one was injured in the incident.
‘Crime Scene Investigators attended the scene to conduct an examination and Western District detectives will continue enquiries today.
‘The fire is being treated as suspicious after witnesses reported seeing people running from the scene shortly after the fire started.’
