‘There’s a guy in there, I saw his head and arm’: residents tell of torched car horror

A horrified resident has told how he saw what he believes was a body inside the driver’s seat of a burning vehicle after the discovery of human remains in two torched cars overnight.

A horrified resident has told how he saw what he believes was a body inside the driver’s seat of a burning vehicle after reports of gunshots and the discovery of human remains in two torched cars overnight.

A major investigation is under way after two bodies were found in separate burnt out cars on opposite sides of Sydney.

The grim discoveries were made at Parramatta in the city’s north west and Waterfall in the city’s south, but police sources said it was too early to know if the incidents or victims are linked.

Parramatta resident John Buckingham told on Tuesday how he heard what he believed were gunshots before rushing into Webb Street to see a car on fire.

“Bang, bang, bang three gunshots. At first I thought a car has hit a pole,” he said.

Police establish a crime scene in North Parramatta after a burnt out car was discovered with human remains inside it overnight. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

“I came out and went onto my balcony and saw sparks fly and a car on fire.”

Mr Buckingham said he walked down close to where the car was burning and believed he saw the body in the driver’s side.

“There’s a guy in there, I saw his head and arm out the window.

“It’s really horrible.”

Another Webb Street resident Liza Bak said she was awake at the time the flames took hold of the vehicle.

“We heard a bang and two pop sounds and we thought it was someone messing with the bins first,” she said.

“We heard someone beep a horn twice too and came out of the house about two or three minutes later and we saw the car up in flames.

“It’s crazy. Close. It was like wow.”

Officers search bushland near where the car was torched.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Ms Back said only the front of the vehicle had been burnt.

“It was burning for only a few minutes on the passengers and drivers side forward.”

The mother said she was told a petrol can was also found at the site.

“The pops had a tinny kind of sound. I used to go shooting with my family in the country. “That (sound) was a definitely a hand gun,” she said.

Ms Back believes the incident was a “set up”.

“There was a second car we heard. It echoes down that end (south Webb Street) really loud. We thought, that’s not thunder.

“Whatever’s been done, it was a moment of opportunity.”

Officers cordon off the area where the car was found. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Police swept a wide area of North Parramatta for clues. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Officers search bins in Webb Street. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Another nearby resident said she arrived home from work around 2am and smelled smoke but thought nothing of it.

“There was a burning smell but I thought somebody was doing a BBQ. Also with the cold season,” she said.

“It’s a very quiet suburb, we love each other,” the local of nine years said.

“We don’t even lock the home when we go to the dog park.

“My heart is beating.”