Vandals attack medical centre where an ex-soldier exploded as he drove past
Vandals have targetted the site where a former soldier exploded in a fiery wreck after visiting his estranged partner.
The 43-year old father instantly died when the explosive vest he was carrying detonated after visiting his ex-partner in Hallam – south-east of Melbourne‘s CBD – on Saturday.
On Tuesday, graffiti spray painted on the entrance to a nearby medical centre read: ‘Dad, my soldier 4ever’.
Footage captioned the moment the driver’s homemade explosive vest detonated after hitting a speed bump in Hallam in Melbourne’s south-east on Saturday
A tribute was spray painted on the wall of a medical clinic near where the man was killed on Saturday
On the other side of the entrance it read: ‘Willo that was stupid’.
Workers on Tuesday were in the process of removing the damaged signs and cleaning the tainted wall.
Tributes have also appeared online for the deceased dad, who has not yet publicly been named.
Police sources have told Daily Mail Australia the homemade bomb was either detonated by the man on purpose or he was the victim of misadventure.
‘We don’t believe he had plans to blow anyone else up,’ the source said.
It is understood the man and his estranged wife had suffered an acrimonious split.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said tragedy was not being treated as suspicious.
Despite earlier reports that the bomb may have detonated after hitting a speed bump, Daily Mail Australia observed no such hazard in the area or any other potholes.
The explosion caused chaos for nearby residents on Saturday, with police sending the area into lockdown for more than 12 hours.
‘Bomb Response Unit members attended due to explosive items located inside the vehicle and it took a considerable amount of time for the Bomb Response Unit to render these items safe,’ police said.
They had been called shortly before midday on Saturday morning following reports of a crash.
Footage shows the dramatic moment the homemade explosive vest exploded and erupted into flames after the man hit the bump while driving along Young Road.
The car continued travelling down the road for several hundred metres before it crashed into a parked vehicle at the corner of Homewood Boulevard.
A nearby medical centre was vandalised in the aftermath of the tragic explosion
Bomb Response Unit officers were called to the scene and blocked off the vicinity for 12 hours
The car crashed into a parked vehicle near the corner of Young Street and Homewood Boulevard (pictured) in Hallam in Melbourne’s south-east
Police found the body of the Dandenong father inside the car.
Neighbours remained in shock on Tuesday days after the shocking incident.
‘I mean this is a rough area, but people exploding on the street is unheard of,’ one resident told Daily Mail Australia.
Another resident said it wouldn’t be hard for police to track down the vandals should they be inclined to do so.
‘They wrote “dad” on the walls,’ the man said.
Anyone with information on the incident should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000