Eight critically injured after truck crash causes café blast
EIGHT people were fighting for their l i ve s to d ay after a pi c k- u p truck smashed into a café in Queensland, Australia sparking a fire that engulfed the building.
CCTV footage shows an explosion — caused when a gas bottle ignited — which sent customers flying through the air at the Serves You Right Cafe in Ravenshoe, south of Cairns.
Some people stag gered from the building, their clothing on fire, as others attempted to put out the flames.
Nineteen people were injured and the eight who were in a critical condition suffered up to 80 per cent burns.
The blast blew out both sides of the building and it was an hour before the fire could be brought under control.
It is not known what caused the truck to veer off the road on Tuesday although there are some reports that the driver could have had a heart attack.
Six people have been transferred to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and two more were expected to be transferred there today.
Kate Lewis, who works in a nearby supermarket, told broadcaster ABC: “We just heard a massive sonic boom and went running out and saw the café on fire and lots of burned people.”
Ravenshoe Community Centre chairperson Priscilla Clare said it was amazing that anyone had survived. She said a group of about eight pensioners were in the café at the time, having just been briefed by firemen about fire safety.
“People have wit ness e d horri fi c things,” Ms Clare told ABC. “I was talking to people and I did not recognise them” because of their burnt hair and faces, she said.