5:29a.m. 29th September 2007

| By Mark Furler

Police have charge a man with arson and deprivation of liberty after he allegedly set "The Old Nunnery'' at 5 Church Street, Pomona, alight shortly after midnight. Photo: Assunta Easton

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A man has been charged with arson and deprivation of liberty after allegedly setting fire to The Old Nunnery in Pomona overnight.

A 71-year-old woman, who had allegedly been held captive in her own home at gunpoint for hours, fled the home just after midnight only to turn and see it engulfed in flames.

Police said the home at 5 Church Street, which is part of Pomona's heritage walk, was totally destroyed in the blaze which was believed to have been deliberately lit.

The woman was allegedly held against her will for several hours at her residence.

"It is believed the woman came home yesterday afternoon and was confronted by a man who was known to her. He then allegedly threatened her with a firearm and refused to let her leave,'' police said.

"Around 12.20am this morning the woman managed to flee the house and alert police.

"Police attended the Church Street residence to find the house well alight. The blaze completely destroyed the house and the site is now being treated as a crime scene.''

Neighbour Assunta Easton said she woke to hear the sound of the windows of the building blowing. "At first I thought it was a possum and I went to the kitchen and saw the fire and called the fire brigade,'' she said.

At least three fire units rushed to the scene but the house was well involved. "There was nothing anyone could do at such,'' she said.

"The Old Nunnery'' in Pomona had been on the market for $650,000.

The historic home, which had been used as a convent up until the late 1980s when it was sold by the Catholic church, had been up for sale for $650,000.

The home was said to be haunted by the ghosts of nuns.

Fire crews were back at the scene this morning putting out spot fires.

It is understood the man at the centre of the dispute did not live at the home.

Police located a 67-year-old Pomona man at a local caravan park.

The man was taken to a local hospital for observation after he complained of complications to a pre-existing medical condition. The man is in a stable condition.

The woman was not injured during the incident.

Sgt Justin Ward, of Maroochydore Police, said police had been called about 12.25pm by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service to say there was a fire.

"The female occupier of the home has then phoned police to say she had been in a dispute with a male person in her home and he had set the home on fire,'' Sgt Ward said.

"She had sought an opportunity to escape from the house (during the dispute) and she has turned around and saw it on fire.''

"The home was totally gutted.''

It was not known exactly how the blaze was actually started.

Police have today charged a man with arson, deprivation of liberty, entering a dwelling with intent, threatening violence, common assault, and breaching a domestic violence order. The man is expected to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday.

Old Nunnery had been haunted by ghosts