A startling incident has surfaced in Melbourne, highlighting the city’s escalating crime situation, as a young woman’s treasured first car was destroyed after years of diligent saving. The unsettling event unfolded in Dromana, located in the southern part of the city, where 18-year-old Kyela Smith was abruptly awakened by her mother in the early hours of Monday morning. Her car was engulfed in flames, seemingly the victim of a random act of arson.

Angelique Smith, Kyela’s mother, recounted to Daily Mail Australia the startling sounds that initially drew her attention—loud pops echoing through the quiet night around 2:45 a.m., which she initially mistook for gunfire. “I was still up and about when there was an explosion,” she described, noting that the noise resembled gunshots in the distance at first.

Quickly reacting to the alarming sounds, Angelique secured the household by locking doors and dimming lights. However, the realization soon dawned that her daughter’s cherished vehicle, a 2003 Nissan Skyline, was ablaze outside. The car, a Japanese import, was something Kyela deeply adored. Her mother rushed to wake her, delivering the devastating news.

Upon learning of the fiery destruction, Kyela was overwhelmed with emotion. She described her heartbreak, “There was no warning; by the time I saw it, the car was completely engulfed in flames and it was too late to save it.” The young woman’s tears reflected the abrupt loss of her hard-earned possession, a poignant example of the personal toll of the city’s crime wave.

She said she locked the doors and dimmed the lights, then realised her daughter’s new car, a 2003 Nissan Skyline Japanese import she was ‘in love with’, was a fireball outside and she raced to her bedroom to wake her up. 

Kylea said she burst into tears when she learnt what happened because ‘there was no build up, it was engulfed by the time I saw it and too late to save it’.

The suspected arson is the latest in a string of brazen incidents to rock Melbourne, which has also included a sushi chef randomly stabbed while walking in the CBD and a city clothing boutique robbed in broad daylight.  

The teenager’s 18th birthday celebrations have been called off and her older brother, Ryan, has launched a GoFundMe to help his younger sister afford another car.

Kyela Smith, then-17, was woken up by her mother to find her cherished car ablaze in Melbourne’s south at 3.30am on Monday

CCTV footage obtained from Kyela’s neighbours allegedly captured the moment two figures allegedly approached the car before it went up in flames

Kyela and her mother, Angelique, looked outside to find the car completely engulfed in flames

Daily Mail Australia contacted Victoria police about the incident on Wednesday night, and it is understood they are investigating.

Kyela said she was woken up her mother screaming ‘hysterically’ but the teen did not believe the news at first until she checked outside. 

‘I thought there’s no way, but  went out our balcony and I could see my car was just engulfed by flames.’

Angelique called Triple-0 while the car was still ablaze but said officers initially treated the incident as a simple engine failure. 

Daily Mail Australia was similarly told on Tuesday the incident was being treated as ‘non-suspicious’. 

However, new footage supplied by the family’s neighbours revealed two hooded individuals approached the parked car on the side of the road. 

Despite the rain the two unidentified strangers could been seen appearing to ignite an object which they then tossed at Kyela’s car, causing a massive explosion. 

Kyela told the publication she had saved for this car for most of her working life and that it had been her ‘first big purchase’.

Emergency services were called to extinguish the fire which was initially ruled as non-suspicious by police

Police initially treated the incident as a car malfunction but CCTV paints a different picture

By Wednesday, footage was uncovered that shows what might have happened

Kyela’s birthday celebrations have been postponed as the family attempt to figure out whether or not the alleged attack was random or deliberate, though they said there is no reason why they’d be targetted.

Instead of celebrating and getting her license the teen, who is now 18, is now trying to stay optimistic and find alternative modes of transport.

The Nissan is still sitting where Kyela had parked it as police continue to investigate. 

Angelique said passersby had begun specifically driving down their street to have a look at its burnt out wreckage. 

‘Maybe we should put some Christmas decorations on it to make the situation a little better,’ she said.

‘Better to not get too caught up in the tragedy, I suppose. 

‘I messaged Kyela today at work on Tuesday and said ‘you left your window open and it’s raining’, but she didn’t find it funny. 

Little jokes like that, you got to do that to lighten the mood.’

Kyela, now 18, had been planning to celebrate her birthday by getting her license so she could use the car full-time

Kyela’s brother, Ryan, has since launched a GoFundMe to help his sister afford another car

Meanwhile Kyela said she is still shattered over what had happened. 

‘I can’t even look at photos of it before because it’s just so sad,’ Kyela said. 

‘It was imported from Japanese, so the guy I bought it off of it was sort of his toy, his pride and joy.

‘It was just different to anything we’d ever seen, it had little bits and pieces and multiple screens that made it special.’ 

The teen had worked three jobs while studying in both TAFE and highschool to save up for the vehicle’s $6,000 price tag.

Anyone with information on the alleged incident has been urged to contact CrimeStoppers.