One dead, car split in half during fiery crash in Melbourne’s south-east

November 4, 2026 — 9:04am

One person has died and two others were seriously injured when a car hit a pole and split in half in a fiery crash in Melbourne’s south-east overnight.

The car crashed into a telegraph pole on Cheltenham Road near Bracknell Street in Keysborough about 12.50am on Wednesday, police said.

The car split in two and then burst into flames, leaving debris strewn across the road.

Video footage of the crash scene shows the two halves of the car a considerable distance apart and still smouldering, with powerlines down and only the splintered quarter of a telegraph pole remaining in the ground.

A body was found inside the car after the fire was extinguished.

A man aged in his 20s was found injured at the scene, while another man, who police say fled the scene, was found in the front yard of a nearby house with serious injuries.

Police said detectives were investigating reports that the car was seen travelling at high speeds before the crash.

Traffic diversions are in place around Chandler and Cheltenham roads, a busy arterial thoroughfare, which police said would remain in place throughout the morning.

The crash comes after nine people died on Victoria’s roads during horror a Melbourne Cup weekend, and follows the collision between SUV driver Ivan Harrison, 43, and 19-year-old motorcyclist Zac Keinan, tragically killing both and leaving Harrison’s seven-year-old son and passenger Henry without a father.

On Friday afternoon, a 25-year-old died after his motorcycle collided with a car in Footscray.

Later that night, another motorcyclist died at the scene when he collided with a car in Healesville about 64km north-east of Melbourne’s CBD.

On Saturday afternoon, an elderly woman died after she was hit by a car in the state’s south-west.

The driver, a 52-year-old man, stopped at the scene and provided immediate assistance. He will be interviewed by detectives.

On Saturday night, a 26-year-old man was killed when his motorcycle lost control and crashed into a tree in the Mornington Peninsula suburb of Blairgowrie.

The motorcycle’s passenger was airlifted to hospital with critical injuries.

As of October 25, 2026, more than 219 people have lost their lives on the roads since the start of this year, according to Victoria Police.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or with dashcam vision is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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