Flames tore through a bedroom of the Logan Road home about 10.20am.

Responding firefighters took about 15 minutes to control the blaze.

Albury Central station officer Simon Huggett said the brick property, between Alemein Avenue and Fairview Drive, had been well alight when crews arrived.

“It was probably about 70 per cent involved when we got here,” he said.

“We actually got a hold of it pretty quickly.”

The home’s tenant had allegedly set the property alight in an unsuccessful attempt to take his own life.

The man was not in the building when firefighters arrived; it was not known whether he had escaped the blaze or passersby had rescued him.

Insp John Peirce, of Albury police, said the man had been taken into custody to undergo psychiatric assessment and the laying of any criminal charges would depend on the outcome of that examination.

The building’s owner inspected the damage to the property while emergency services were at the scene.

Neighbour Pat Brown said she had stepped outside at the sound of sirens to discover thick smoke billowing from the home.

“I nearly collapsed when I saw it,” she said.

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