A RECOVERED stolen car, parked at a yard in Kerang went up in flames in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Police said the cause of the blaze had not yet been established.
Firefighters received a call to the car fire, at the Muir Avenue yard of RACV agent Arnoldt and Greenwood’s just after 3am.
Kerang Fire Brigade captain Ramon Steel said nearby residents heard explosions, which would have been the car’s tyres.
“They puff up a bit and go bang just before they catch fire,” Mr Steel said.
He said firefighters had to cut a chain securing the gates but quickly extinguished the blaze.
“We were on scene within four minutes and it was under control within 10,” he said.
A vehicle parked next to the utility was also damaged.
Police confirmed the white twin cab Nissan utility was stolen from Echuca last Wednesday and crashed near Kerang on Sunday.
A Moama man was charged in relation to its theft, as well as the theft of another vehicle from Koondrook on Sunday.
Police said the 26-year-old was apprehended near the Kerang electricity substation on Sunday after he was observed doing burnouts at the corner of the Loddon Valley Highway and Old Echuca Road.
Kerang Police Sergeant Tony Keely said the incident stopped traffic on the highway.
“He’s done a number of burnouts disrupting traffic,” Sgt Keely said.
“There was quite a convoy of cars that had to stop.”
Police said the utility then slid off the road and crashed at Old Echuca Road. The man was located nearby after he left the scene on foot.
The man was charged with numerous driving offences as well as the vehicle thefts, and was remanded in custody.
Jason Greenwood, from Arnoldt and Greenwood, said the vehicle had been retrieved from a ditch at Old Echuca Road and had probably already been a write-off.
CFA investigators attended the car yard on Wednesday.
The Swan Hill criminal investigation unit is now investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, a faulty electrical relay caused sparks to fall from a power pole in Kerang on Tuesday night.
Firefighters attended the scene in Murray Street just before 10.30pm and kept the area safe until Powercor arrived at around 11.45pm and was able to repair it.
