Blast hits suburbia

By BRETT FOLEY

A massive car explosion that killed one person in a normally quiet Melbourne street yesterday may have been caused by a bomb.

A white Subaru Liberty sedan was blown apart about 8.40am in Coburg North, incinerating the driver, believed to be a man.

The blast in Lorenson Avenue sprayed car parts for 200 metres and was heard as far away as Preston, Brunswick and Bundoora

The blast shattered windows and showered the yards of many houses with car parts.

Police were working last night to determine the cause of the blast but could not rule out an explosive device.

Detective Senior Sergeant Jeffrey Maher, of the homicide squad, said the blast badly damaged shops and homes.

It appeared the car was moving when it exploded and the blast was not caused by an LPG cylinder.

``The vehicle has sustained a substantial amount of damage from the explosion but our experts are not ruling out anything at this stage,'' he said.

Senior Sergeant Maher said residents were evacuated while the special operations group and forensic scientists combed the area.

The state coroner, Mr Graeme Johnstone, attended the scene and the body and car were removed about 6pm.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death and tests will be needed to confirm the identity of the victim.

Inspector Frank Besanko, of the fire brigade, described a scene ``total devastation'' and said it is was a miracle no one else was killed or injured.

Car parts were found on roofs and in back yards and trees. The blast stripped several centimetres of bitumen from the road and tore the car in two ``like a twisted can''.

``I've never seen such large pieces of metal flung so far and I have not seen anything like it since the Russell Street bombing,'' he said.

Inspector Besanko said firefighters from Pascoe Vale Station heard the blast and were first on scene.

``The force of the explosion has been very severe and it appears to have come from the central part of the car,'' he said.

Police trying to identify the body searched a house in Sydney Road, Coburg, and a car-wrecking business in Fawkner, both owned by a 48-year-old businessman.