BREAKING NEWS Horror moment a car EXPLODES on a residential street in East St Kilda sending a huge plume of smoke above Melbourne By KYLIE STEVENS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA and MAX ALDRED FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 06:23 EST, 2 January 2025 | Updated: 07:04 EST, 2 January 2025 e-mail 7 View comments A car has been doused in petrol and set on fire on a busy street in Melbourne . Emergency services rushed to Alexandra Street in St Kilda east at about 9.10pm on Thursday night following reports of a stolen car being set alight.
Dramatic footage by shocked locals captured the exact moment the car exploded into flames with a loud bang which was heard several streets away. Photos of the aftermath showed the burnt out car surrounded by police officers and firefighters. Other vehicles parked nearby were also damaged.
Some feared the torching was a deliberate attack on the Jewish community as it occurred near a synagogue and several Jewish schools. However, Victoria Police insisted the incident wasn't racially, religiously or politically motivated. 'Police are investigating a suspicious car fire which occurred in St Kilda East this evening,' a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.
'Fire crews arrived and extinguished the blaze. The investigation into the fire is ongoing. 'The incident is not racially, religiously or politically motivated.
' Nearby residents heard explosions as black smoke filled the air. 'My roommate and I heard this loud bang and thought someone was slamming doors in our apartment building,' one woman told Daily Mail Australia. @VictoriaPolice @JacintaAllanMP have you seen this ? This is in the heart of Melbourne’s Jewish neighbourhood.
Not far from Adass Israel Synagogue & near other Jewish schools, Synagogues & other Jewish institutions — Menachem Vorchheimer (@MenachemV) January 2, 2025 'A few minutes later, we saw the smoke. It was so close we could see the sparks. The people across the road from us could see the flames from their house and ran out onto the street.
'They were worried their house would catch. For a few minutes, there were several bangs and pops coming from the fire. More to come Melbourne Share or comment on this article: Horror moment a car EXPLODES on a residential street in East St Kilda sending a huge plume of smoke above Melbourne e-mail Add comment.
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Horror moment a car EXPLODES on a residential street in East St Kilda sending a huge plume of smoke above Melbourne
Emergency services were called to Alexandra Street in St Kilda east shortly before 9.30pm on Thursday night.