A regional New South Wales suburb was jolted awake on Wednesday morning by the sounds of explosions after a stolen car was deliberately set alight.
Residents Witness Intense Blaze
Residents in Marie Street, South Tamworth, saw flames shooting above their fences from their backyards. One resident described the scene: 'It was very red, I thought there was flood lights out back because it was so bright.' Firefighters were called to the laneway at about 5:30am to find a blue LDV vehicle engulfed in flames, as families watched the car burn.
Loud bangs echoed as the car melted. 'We heard that over and felt that across the road, it was pretty scary,' another resident said. One neighbour grabbed a garden hose to stop the flames from spreading to a shed and home only metres away, telling 7NEWS the blaze was so intense steam was coming off the roof.
Debris and Heat Damage
Debris from the burning car flew over fences into backyards. 'Right up in the air and into our yard, it just missed the missus,' a resident said. The car was destroyed, and neighbouring fences melted under the heat. Residents praised the quick response from fire crews for preventing the blaze from spreading further.
Police Investigation Underway
Police later established a crime scene and determined the vehicle was stolen from an address on Susan Street, Kootingal, sometime between 3:30am and 4am that morning. Investigations are continuing, and anyone with information or dashcam or CCTV footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
