Bruce Highway dashcam footage shows two suspects in Bloomsbury car torching

Two persons of interest have been caught on dashcam in investigations into a spate of car torchings in the Mackay Proserpine region. Watch the footage here.

Dashcam footage has recorded two people of interest near a stolen Subaru Liberty on the Bruce Highway moments before it went up in flames.

The incident was one of a spate of car fires in the Mackay Proserpine region in which seven cars went up in flames in seven days.

That included a car set on fire that exploded 30 metres from a Blacks Beach family’s home on September 12.

Dashcam footage has shown two men near a stolen Subaru Liberty moments before it went up in flames on the Bruce Highway near in Bloomsbury. Picture: Queensland Police Media

Investigations into the run of car fires has uncovered dashcam footage of the two Bruce Highway incidents on September 9 in vehicles were on fire within 45 minutes from each other.

The footage shows the moments leading up to one of the fires in Bloomsbury leading to an appeal for information.

Sergeant Mark Flynn said the photos reveal two men in what appeared to be an old model Hilux dual cab near one of the targeted cars ‘just before it was set alight’. Picture: Queensland Police Media

Proserpine officer-in-charge Sergeant Mark Flynn said the footage showed two men in what appeared to be an old model Hilux dual-cab ute near one of the cars “just before it was set alight”.

He said police are urging anyone who may have information about the two men or the incidents to contact them.

Seven cars in seven days

A police spokeswoman said the majority of the vehicles that went up in flames during the week were stolen or abandoned.

Use the interactive map to plot the week of car blazes.

Mount Ossa

A white Jeep Cherokee was torched on the Bruce Highway near the intersection of Buthurra Road on September 8.

Police believe a person likely lit the abandoned vehicle on fire which was found on the side of the road.

Crews arrived on scene about 5.45pm.

A police spokeswoman said the Jeep had been abandoned and had not been reported stolen.

She said the matter was filed “pending further investigation”.

Goorganga Plains

The Corolla was ablaze on the Bruce Highway on September 9, 2021. Picture: Queensland Police Service

Fire crews rushed along the Bruce Highway to fight a blaze engulfing an unknown Toyota Corolla.

Crews were called to the scene about 1.45pm on September 9.

The police spokesman at the time said the car had been so damaged police were not able to identify it.

A police spokeswoman later said the car was abandoned and had not been reported stolen.

She said the cause of the fire was unknown.

Bloomsbury

The Subaru Liberty was stolen from North Mackay in August and found ablaze on the Bruce Highway on September 9, 2021. Picture: Queensland Police Service

Less than 45 minutes after the Corolla caught alight, a stolen blue Subaru Liberty went up in flames about 30km north on the Bruce Highway.

Crews were called to the scene near the Bloomsbury BP about 2.30pm on September 9.

A police spokeswoman said the car had been stolen from North Mackay on August 28.

Two men in what appears to be a white dual cab ute were seen near the car about the time it was reported to go up in flames.

The spokeswoman said no charges had been laid but police were continuing to investigate.

Bucasia

Emergency crews were called to help after a white Toyota LandCruiser caught alight on a Bezzina Court property.

The police spokeswoman said fire was not deemed suspicious.

Blacks Beach

A Blacks Beach family were woken to a screaming car alarm early on a Sunday morning.

The couple said they witnessed “about five loud explosions” as a torched car went up in flames barely 30 metres from their Chenoweth Drive home.

Roland Mooney woke up to a car alarm screaming in early hours of Saturday morning as a vehicle was torched behind his Blacks Beach home. Photo: Janessa Ekert

A police spokeswoman said the car had been stolen from North Mackay on September 11 and was found engulfed in fire about 4.45am that morning.

Roland Mooney and Bec Warren woke in the early hours Saturday to a car on fire barely 30m from their Blacks Beach home. Photo: Janessa Ekert

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Service spokeswoman said the blaze set fire to vegetation in the vacant property between Chenoweth Drive and Whitehaven Drive.

Less than a week later, a car ploughed into a family’s bedroom wall down the road on Whitehaven Drive.

Koumala

Emergency services were called to extinguish a car that was reported to be on fire.

A QFES spokeswoman said the fire was smouldering by the time crews arrived at the incident at the intersection of the Bruce Highway and Branscombe Road about 6.20am on September 11.

Police were aware of the incident but reports indicate they did not attend.

Walkerston

A silver Ford Falcon went up in flames on a property on the corner of Mackay Eungella Road and Branscombe Road.

Crews were called to the incident at 10.30pm on September 14.

A police spokeswoman said police had conducted primary forensic investigations.

She said no complaints had been made about the car.

Police are appealing for information or anyone with dashcam footage for Bloomsbury and Goorganga Plains incidents to get in contact with them.

Originally published as Bruce Highway dashcam footage shows two suspects in Bloomsbury car torching