An exploding gas cylinder could be behind a blast and fire that has killed a man and destroyed a home in Melbourne's outer southeast.
Neighbours phoned triple zero after hearing an explosion from the garage of the Casey Drive, Berwick, home about 3.45am (AEST) on Thursday, which set off a subsequent fire that spread to the house causing extensive damage, police said.
Two men who were inside the home at the time are believed to be a father, who escaped with minor injuries, and his teenage son, who was missing.
Fire crews found a body inside the house about four hours later, but it was too badly burnt to be identified, police said.
The father, aged in his 50s, was lucky to be alive, Detective Senior Constable Boyle said.
"By the intensity of the fire and how badly damaged the house is, he's been very lucky to escape," he told reporters.
Paramedics treated the man for minor injuries at the scene and he told them he did not need to go to hospital, an Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said.
The man was devastated but was helping police with their inquiries, Det Sen Const Boyle said.
"Obviously he's just lost his house and he's quite distraught. He's got some minor burns which have been treated, but he's extremely upset," he said.
The cause of the blaze was still being investigated but firefighters had told police a gas cylinder had exploded, Det Sen Const Boyle said.
Detectives from the Arson and Explosives Squad, Clandestine Laboratory Squad and Casey Crime Investigation Unit were investigating the scene.
