Traves Sheehan, 15, was at home about 11.10pm when a loud bang rocked the River Road-Church Lane neighbourhood.

Residents raced to see a sedan roar off into the night from near the vacant brick house in Church Lane, a short distance from the T-intersection with River Road.

Young Traves had seen huge flames leaping from the front windows of the house as the car sped past him heading in a northerly direction with Church Lane.

Traves called 000 on a mobile home phone, saying the fire was so big the brigade would need two fire trucks to bring it under control.

Traves not only called emergency services that arrived in minutes, Bathurst police followed by two Bathurst fire trucks and a third from Kelso but also the ambulance.

He then raced to a corner house where he knew a middle aged woman lived alone to ensure she was safe before returning to keep other people back as the flames consumed the front two rooms of the vacant brick house.

“There was an explosion that rocked our house and other houses in Church Lane,” Traves said.

“At first I thought it might have been a car crash. But you could see flames from the house as the car took off with no lights, racing past me.

“I think other people up the street might have got a better view of it than me.

“A woman police officer arrived very quickly, then a paddy wagon, two fire trucks and a third fire truck. It was a big fire, flames at least 30 metres high out the front windows, easily as high as the telegraph poles.”

When people arrived at the fire scene, Traves was worried about young mates getting too close because of the danger from falling power lines.

“The power lines to the house were spitting blue flames, they could have fallen back towards the street,” Traves said.

“I think we knew there was nobody living in the house. People had moved out some weeks ago.”

Traves said the explosion seemed to follow the sound of breaking glass, leaving him wondering if someone had thrown a bottle of petrol through the window.

The Year 10 son of well-known car salesman Mal Sheehan, Traves said he was concerned about Marion Gorrell who lives at the corner.

This was confirmed as neighbours gathered near the house a day later, with Ms Gorrell saying: “Traves was the one who took control of the situation.”

“The explosion rocked my house,” she said.

“It was the young fella down the road who called the brigade and had them arrive so quickly. We can thank God there was nobody in the house, especially in either of the front rooms.”