Horror fire fatality
A terrified caretaker spent his last moments screaming for help while a huge fire engulfed the shipping container he was living out of at a Mount Louisa scrap yard.
The 46-year-old man was found dead in a horrific fire involving a caravan and shipping container at a scrap yard on Woolcock St, Mount Louisa, about 10pm on Thursday.
Inspector Jason Shepherd said he was believed to be residing at property as a caretaker, using both the shipping container and caravan as a partial residence.
He said witnesses reported the fire and heard an “explosion” coming from the shipping container which appeared to be used as a makeshift kitchen with cooking implements and gas cylinders inside.
“Witnesses had initially heard a male person screaming for help,” Inspector Shepherd said. “One witness did try to enter the property to provide assistance, but there were a number of guard dogs on the property that stopped that witness from getting in.”
He said police had to pepper spray the dogs in order to subdue them and gain access to the yard so that firefighters could extinguish the fire.
Inspector Shepherd said the man’s body was found at the rear of the container.
“I would hate to be in that situation where you are trapped by a fire,” he said.
“You know people can pass away from smoke inhalation or be rendered unconscious from that.
“It’s difficult to say whether he could or couldn’t get out of the shipping container but he was at the opposite end to the opening.”
Investigations are continuing into the cause of the fire and police have not yet ruled out the possibility of arson.
Anyone with information about the Mount Louisa fire or who was in the area at the time and may have CCTV or dashcam footage, is urged to contact police.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or re
port online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.