19 people have been injured, three critically, after a ute crashed into a Queensland cafe, causing a gas explosion.
According to a witness, two cars collided on Grigg St, Ravenshoe (south of Cairns), with one car becoming airborne and crashing into a gas bottle at the back of the cafe. It is thought, but not confirmed, that the driver suffered a heart attack.
#Ravenshoe local Lace tells 2UE the driver of the car which crashed into the cafe suffered a heart attack behind the wheel
— News Talk 2UE 954 (@NewsTalk2UE) June 9, 2015
UPDATE: Explosion at #Ravenshoe cafe may have been caused by a 4WD running into gas bottles #7News pic.twitter.com/88eiQlsagM
— 7 News Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) June 9, 2015
#BREAKING: About 20 people injured after car crashes into cafe, causes gas #explosion at #Ravenshoe, south of Cairns. pic.twitter.com/Pdo2ORCaKX
— Australian News Net (@AusNewsNetwork) June 9, 2015
“We just heard a massive sonic boom and went running out and saw the cafe on fire and lots of burnt people,” said another witness, Kate Lewis, who works opposite the cafe.
Firefighters and ambulances are still at the scene, with the area cordoned off. The blaze has been extinguished.
#kaos in #Ravenshoe @ABCFarNorth have to round the other way to get through town. pic.twitter.com/ALafiJtk9x
— Nathan (@nsciani81) June 9, 2015
There are no fatalities from the explosion, despite a false alarm (since retracted) from Queensland Ambulance Service that one person had died. However, three people remain in a critical condition.
QAS can confirm that there are currently no fatalities at #Ravenshoe.
— Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) June 9, 2015
3 patients are critical & are planned to be taken to Cairns and Townsville Hospital. #Ravenshoe
— Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) June 9, 2015
Royal Flying Doctor service announced that they have dispatched two emergency response crews from Cairns and Townsville to assist. Dozens of emergency workers are already on the scene.
Photo of incident scene at #Ravenshoe http://t.co/6jph8IMgmP
— Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) June 9, 2015
This story is still unfolding, so likely more to come.
via ABC