Car crashes into home at Urangan, Hervey Bay| Video

Shock footage showing a car flattening part of a home before bursting into flames has emerged as police hunt a runaway driver and a stunned neighbour recalls how the wild scenes unfolded. VIDEO, PHOTOS.

A shaken neighbour has described the moment the sound of an “explosion” caused him to fear his roof was about to collapse.

Reviewing footage of a flattened fence and debris on Thursday, the Urangan resident, who did not want to be named, said a ute crashed into a nearby home at the corner of Smith St and Boat Harbour Drive in the early hours of Wednesday morning, May 31.

He said he was then later sent photos of the same ute, which had been towed from the scene but had to be offloaded in bizarre circumstances and became engulfed in flames on the side of a road several kilometres away.

A car bursts into flames after being towed from the scene where it crashed into a home at Urangan.

The man had been making a cup of tea before dawn when he first heard a thunderous bang.

“I dropped to the ground thinking the roof was coming down from a tree … I looked outside and it was so quiet,” he said

“(I was) back inside and about five minutes later flashing lights were outside.”

Emergency crews at the scene of a car crash which damaged a home at Urangan.

Emergency lighting revealed a car had gone through a fence and damaged the garage and side of home, which the man believed the new occupants had only moved into two weeks ago.

“I crossed the road and could see a car on its side through the fence … police were everywhere … one came and spoke and asked if I’d seen anything (and I was) explaining what I heard,” he said

Police cordoned off the home after the crash.

“I asked ‘I hope they are OK? and (the police officer) replied ‘the driver did a runner’.”

The man said police asked to see his security camera but found nothing.

However, the drama was far from over.

A crime scene was declared at the Urangan home which was damaged after a car smashed into it and the driver fled.

The man said the car was “pulled out and towed away” but that one of his friends later sent him a video of the same car on fire on Booral Rd, Hervey Bay.

He said he was told the car was “swinging on the back” of the truck and drivers were” trying to alert the truck driver” before he pulled over and the car was destroyed by fire.

A screenshot of video footage taken of a ute ablaze on Booral Rd, Hervey Bay.

Police have since appealed for anyone who may have footage or witnessed the moments leading to the fire.

“Initial investigations indicate shortly after 6.30am, a truck towing a grey ute was stopped by another vehicle,” a police statement read

“The driver of the second vehicle got out and approached the truck, before placing an unknown object on the grey ute which caused it to ignite.

“The man got back into his vehicle and left the scene.

“Police are appealing for anyone with dashcam vision of vehicles travelling along Booral Road Hervey Bay between 7am and 7.45am today to come forward.”

The crash into the home is being treated as a “hit and run” and there are so far no details on whether the car was stolen or the age/sex of the driver who remains on the run.

“Around 5am a vehicle mounted the kerb and crashed into a tree stump and fence causing damage to the garage of the residence,” a Queensland Police spokeswoman confirmed

“The driver fled the scene (and) investigations are continuing.”

It’s understood nobody was injured in the crash or car fire.

Anyone with information can call Police Link on 13 14 44 quoting the reference: QP2300894867.

Originally published as Car crashes into home at Urangan, Hervey Bay| Video