Three cars destroyed, house badly damaged in dual deliberately-lit Mile End fires

A South Australian homeowner has had a lucky escape, after he was forced to jump his back fence to escape a blaze deliberately lit only a few houses apart.

Explosions rang out as flames spread from fences to three cars, completely engulfing them.

The front of one home caught alight, as firefighters battled to bring the blaze under control.

Neighbour Glen King told 9NEWS an electricity metre box exploded and car tyres burst from the intense heat.

"The guy from the house beside us, he was trying to get out because his cars and whole fence was on fire, so we passed the ladder over to him," he said.

The occupant of one of the affected houses was led to safety by firefighters, suffering smoke inhalation.

Investigators said the fires were deliberately lit and are now searching for the culprit.

The MFS estimates the damage bill to be $150,000.