Former soldier killed as homemade bomb explodes in Melbourne’s south-east
A man has tragically died after a homemade explosive device detonated inside his car as he was driving in Melbourne.
A man has tragically died after a homemade explosive device detonated inside his car as he was driving on Saturday morning.
It is understood the father was wearing an explosive vest that was triggered when his car hit a speed bump on Young Road in the Melbourne suburb of Hallam.
According to 7NEWS, the vehicle continued to travel “a few hundred metres down the road before hitting a parked vehicle” at the corner of Homewood Boulevard and Young Road.
Emergency services were called to the scene at around 11.40am on Saturday morning, finding the deceased man’s body inside his vehicle.
The 43-year-old, who was a former soldier from Dandenong, reportedly was at home of his ex-partner shortly before the explosion.
A local told reporters the bomb and arson squads spent almost an entire day removing the device and debris before declaring the locked-down street was safe for traffic to resume.
“They had the streets blocked off and police pretty much controlling everything, there was 15 police cars all around the place,” one neighbour told 7NEWS.
“I just heard a big loud band at about 11am and I looked out the window and saw the car had gone through the roundabout and crashed into a sign,” another added.
By news.com.au
CONTINUED:
Shocking moment soldier is killed when explosive vest he was wearing DETONATES
as he drove away from his ex-partner's home
Warning: Distressing content.
A father has died after a homemade explosive device detonated inside his car as he was driving along Young Road in the southeast Melbourne suburb of Hallam.
It’s understood the man was wearing an explosive vest that was triggered when his car hit a speed bump along the road.
Watch the video above
It then travelled a few hundred metres down the road before hitting a parked vehicle at the corner of Homewood Boulevard and Young Road.
Emergency services were called to the scene at around 11.40am on Saturday morning and found the man’s body inside his vehicle.
7NEWS understands the 43-year-old former soldier from Dandenong had been at the home of his ex-partner shortly before the explosion took place.
Residents in the area were subsequently sent into lockdown for hours as the bomb squad was called in.
They told 7NEWS the bomb and arson squads spent almost 24 hours removing the device and making sure the street was safe to reopen.
“They had the streets blocked off and police pretty much controlling everything, there was 15 police cars all around the place,” one neighbour told 7NEWS.
“I just heard a big loud band at about 11am and I looked out the window and saw the car had gone through the roundabout and crashed into a sign,” another added.
Police say could have been much worse given the close proximity of homes and an aged care facility.
The circumstances surrounding the man’s death are under investigation by the Arson and Explosives Squad. It is not being treated as suspicious.
By Cassie Zervos & Rhiannon Lewin
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