Two firefighting units were called to Marius St, near the Tamworth BMX track, shortly after 11.30am to find a Toyota hatchback well alight.

The fire was so intense it spread to a large area of grass nearby, but crews quickly brought the fires under control – extinguishing them within minutes. Due to the intensity of the blaze and toxic fumes, Tamworth Fire Station commander Phil Cox said crews wore breathing apparatus – but it wasn’t until the blaze had died out that they noticed a 9kg gas bottle near the front seat of the car. 

“The driver was on his way home to get his wallet and could smell gas in the car,” station commander Cox said.

“He pulled over and turned the car off and as he was getting out it went off.

“I believe he had a cut near his eye and it shook him up a bit.”

Station commander Cox said the man was taken to Tamworth hospital for a check-up.

“It highlights some of the dangers for firefighters attending a fire anywhere,” he said.

“We don’t know what’s in a car or in a house.

“If the gas bottle was full, it probably would have demolished the whole car and everything around it.

“Whether it got knocked in the car and started a slight gas leak – it caused that much damage – but imagine what a full one would do if it went off?”