Penelope Travers recently underwent extensive surgery to treat burns covering 25% of her body, and her recovery will prevent her from returning to work for several weeks.

The incident occurred around 4 a.m. when a sudden explosion in her garage in Mandurah, located south of Perth, forced her to run outside with her clothing on fire.

The explosion was triggered when a spray paint can exploded while she was attempting to protect her home earlier this year.

“It felt like being fried, flesh fried, instant, quick, just burn,” Travers recounted, describing the searing pain she experienced.

The single mother of two endured a grueling 17-day stay in the burns unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital, where she received intensive care for her injuries.

She was covered head-to-toe in thick dressings in between undergoing surgery and blood transfusions.

“Both my arms, the backs of my hands and the top of my foot have all had skin grafts,” she said.

It wasn’t until later police told her it was a targeted attack.

Someone had thrown a fire bomb at her car but it bounced off, instead setting the garage on fire.

As she recovered in hospital the attackers came back to finish the job.

Her ute was set alight while her 16-year-old daughter was home alone.

“This brought something traumatic to my doorstep and I couldn’t protect my children from seeing this or dealing with this,” she said.

“They’re still having nightmares.”

Mandurah detectives are investigating both fire attacks, which are being treated as suspicious

Anyone with information is urged to contact police.

Travers is sore and itchy, but recovering but with no way to work, she’s started a fundraiser to help pay the bills and aid the long road to recovery.

“I am originally from NZ but have called Australia home for almost 15 years,” she wrote on the online fundraiser.

“Unfortunately, being a Kiwi means the Australian Government has very few financial supports available to me. 

“I have been granted a temporary benefit but it does not cover my rent, let alone any other monthly expenses.”