Two loud explosions woke Eleanor Moore (68) at 11pm on Friday Her mobility scooter charging in the carport had ''blown up'' in her Green St driveway.
In shock, she stood in her Housing NZ flat and watched the bright glow from the fire burning beyond her drawn curtains.
The $4000 Invacare scooter she had owned for four years was her ''only means of transport''.
''I'm housebound without it.''
She charged the scooter on Friday night the same way she had for the past four years, with an extension cord from her flat.
When neighbour Wayne Sheridan heard the explosion, he jumped a fence to see a scooter and fence on the other side of the property engulfed in ''roaring'' flames.
When he entered the flat, Mrs Moore was standing in her nightie, Mr Sheridan said.
''She didn't want to leave. She was in shock.''
When he helped her from the house and she collapsed in the driveway, he called an ambulance, Mr Sheridan said.
Mrs Moore said she ''passed out with shock''.
''It's lucky me and my three cats are alive.''
The scooter was insured and she hoped Housing NZ would pay for the fence and carport.
Mosgiel Volunteer Fire Brigade senior station officer Paul Falconer said the explosions were ''most probably the tyres going pop once they got hot''.
Mobility scooter explosions were uncommon, he said.
The fire was well involved when the Mosgiel Volunteer Fire Brigade arrived and the crew extinguished it in a few minutes, he said.
The fire was not being treated as suspicious, a fire communications spokesman said
• Police are investigating a suspicious fire of an lpg bottle on Argyle St, Mosgiel, at 11pm on Saturday.
