A St Kilda resident has described hearing yelling and a smashing sound before the garage next door went up in flames in a dispute between neighbours.
Officers arrested a man outside a business on Andersons Bay Rd just after 2pm following a chase from the Rona St address where the garage was set ablaze.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police were called to Rona St at 2pm yesterday after an altercation between neighbours.
One of the tenants, a 39-year-old man, was causing damage and arguing with his neighbour before he set fire to a car on the street and lit the garage on fire.
Neighbour Mel Moana said she saw a man jump the fence and run away and noticed a car parked across the road was on fire.
"All I heard was yelling and this guy bolted and all I saw was him jump the fence, but it wasn't the guy that lives there, it was someone else who lived at the property."
After that she heard more yelling and a smashing sound coming from the shed and saw the shed on fire.
"It was actually kind of scary ... I initially thought ‘oh my God, he’s blown himself up in there’."
She said it sounded like an explosion.
Another neighbour said they were shaken when they came down the driveway.
A group of nearby workers helped extinguish the car fire before Fire and Emergency arrived.
Snr Sgt Bond said the alleged arsonist fled to the nearby BP service station in Andersons Bay Rd where he allegedly stole a drink and threw it around the store.
He then went to a nearby car yard where he started throwing various items, including bricks, at staff and members of the public.
People managed to restrain the man and police arrived to arrest him.
The man was charged with common assault and two charges of arson, however the incident was still under investigation and more charges were likely, Snr Sgt Bond said.
Witnesses could they call 105 with any information about the man's movements between Rona St and Andersons Bay Rd.’
