Police and fire crews rushed to Crestview Retirement Village at Hillcrest after a unit was engulfed in flames about 10pm on Monday.

An 81-year-old woman escaped but an 83-year-old man died at the scene.

The woman was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with minor injuries.

Residents of an adjoining unit damaged by the blaze were not home at the time.

Twenty-four firefighters and five vehicles extinguished the fire after an hour and prevented it spreading to adjoining properties.

The Metropolitan Fire Service estimates $250,000 damage was caused to the property.

The fire cause is being investigated.

– with AAP