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Police, firefighters injured in Middle Park explosion
A tourist has told of hearing "screams of agony" and neighbours have recalled horrific scenes following an explosion that injured five emergency services personnel at a unit in Melbourne's south on Saturday night.
A female police officer is fighting for her life after suffering burns to 90 per cent of her body in the blast. Two other police officers and two firefighters were also injured.
Tony Morrison, who was visiting his son-in-law with his wife, said he saw two people in "extreme pain" being sprayed with fire hoses.
"The officers were just trying to comfort them, saying it would be okay," he said.
"The female was in the most pain and was screaming in agony, and there was a male lying beside her on the ground too."
The explosion occurred about 9.15pm on Saturday night after crews responded to calls of a man threatening self-harm in Hambleton Street, Middle Park.
The firefighters entered the second-storey flat, followed by the police officers. Then there was a large blast.
Two female officers were critically injured in the blast, while a male officer and two Metropolitan Fire Brigade officers were also hurt.
The male occupant of the unit also suffered non life-threatening injuries. He remains under police guard.
Marlon Law helped hose down the female officer and said other neighbours, including one doctor, also grabbed garden hoses to relieve the injured officers' pain.
"It was horrendous," he said.
Mr Law said the female officer was still conscious through the ordeal.
"She was screaming in pain," he said.
Mr Law said the male occupant of the house was also "pretty burnt" and paramedics worked to relieve his burns before placing him in an ambulance.
"He didn't really say or do much. He wasn't running away, was on the ground and people were attending to him, but were mainly helping the one female officer who got quite severly burnt."
Mr Law said his window looked directly into the burning flat, and that seeing the blaze and so many people at the scene was "pretty concerning".
Acting Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer said police were still piecing together what happened.
"There could have been injuries to other people; thankfully there was not - only those inside the room," he told reporters.
"This is part of the danger of law enforcement. Most days everyone gets home, but unfortunately we've had a tragedy."
A neighbour told the ABC he heard a loud explosion.
"It was just a big bang and glass shattering," he said.
Another neighbour, who did not give his name, told the ABC that the explosion was very loud.
"It was a big explosion. We heard a lot of glass shattering on the ground we went out and the fire brigade was already on the scene," the man said. "It wasn't the usual thing happening around here."
The police officers were taken to The Alfred hospital and the firefighters were taken to the Royal Melbourne.
The arson squad are currently at the scene.
Police, firefighters injured in Middle Park explosion
A tourist has told of hearing "screams of agony" and neighbours have recalled horrific scenes following an explosion that injured five emergency services personnel at a unit in Melbourne's south on Saturday night.
A female police officer is fighting for her life after suffering burns to 90 per cent of her body in the blast. Two other police officers and two firefighters were also injured.
Tony Morrison, who was visiting his son-in-law with his wife, said he saw two people in "extreme pain" being sprayed with fire hoses.
"The officers were just trying to comfort them, saying it would be okay," he said.
"The female was in the most pain and was screaming in agony, and there was a male lying beside her on the ground too."
The explosion occurred about 9.15pm on Saturday night after crews responded to calls of a man threatening self-harm in Hambleton Street, Middle Park.
The firefighters entered the second-storey flat, followed by the police officers. Then there was a large blast.
Two female officers were critically injured in the blast, while a male officer and two Metropolitan Fire Brigade officers were also hurt.
The male occupant of the unit also suffered non life-threatening injuries. He remains under police guard.
Marlon Law helped hose down the female officer and said other neighbours, including one doctor, also grabbed garden hoses to relieve the injured officers' pain.
"It was horrendous," he said.
Mr Law said the female officer was still conscious through the ordeal.
"She was screaming in pain," he said.
Mr Law said the male occupant of the house was also "pretty burnt" and paramedics worked to relieve his burns before placing him in an ambulance.
"He didn't really say or do much. He wasn't running away, was on the ground and people were attending to him, but were mainly helping the one female officer who got quite severly burnt."
Mr Law said his window looked directly into the burning flat, and that seeing the blaze and so many people at the scene was "pretty concerning".
Acting Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer said police were still piecing together what happened.
"There could have been injuries to other people; thankfully there was not - only those inside the room," he told reporters.
"This is part of the danger of law enforcement. Most days everyone gets home, but unfortunately we've had a tragedy."
A neighbour told the ABC he heard a loud explosion.
"It was just a big bang and glass shattering," he said.
Another neighbour, who did not give his name, told the ABC that the explosion was very loud.
"It was a big explosion. We heard a lot of glass shattering on the ground we went out and the fire brigade was already on the scene," the man said. "It wasn't the usual thing happening around here."
The police officers were taken to The Alfred hospital and the firefighters were taken to the Royal Melbourne.
The arson squad are currently at the scene.
