A ute packed with jerry cans caught fire with flames 5m high and rolled out of control down a hill before crashing into an apartment complex, police said.
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Police said they saw the ute on fire on a slope facing the roundabout of Jim Pike Avenue and Knoke Avenue, Gordon, about 7.25pm on Saturday.
"Police were unable to extinguish the fire and observed a number of fuel 'jerry' cans in the back of the vehicle," they said in a statement.
They closed the area and created a 50-metre evacuation zone.
"The fire escalated quickly with flames reaching more than 5m in height, engulfing the entire vehicle," police said.
"The extreme heat of the fire caused the [handbrake] cable to malfunction and disengage. The uncontrolled vehicle rolled approximately 100m down the hill towards Knoke Ave, through a roundabout and [crashed into] with a single story apartment complex."
Footage taken from a police car camera shows the flames building, before the burning ute begins its journey, leaving a large fire behind. A police officer runs out the way, and then another begins to chase it as it heads for the units.
The ute set fire to a unit in the building, but ACT Fire and Rescue extinguished the fire, containing it to the main bedroom.
"The fire was deemed to be non-suspicious," police said.
"No one was injured during the incident."
