Two 17-year-old boys killed in crash on Beaudesert-Beenleigh Rd at Birnam

Witnesses have relived the moment complete strangers ran at a fireball to try and save a teen from a crash that killed him and another 17-year-old. GRAPHIC

• Second teen victim identified
• Tributes: ‘He was life of the party’

A father and son who rushed to save a victim of a fatal crash have told of how the young driver was not alone in his final moments and knew people “were fighting for him” with a group of strangers banding together.

The crash happened when a 4WD ute and a sedan collided 15km northeast of Beaudesert on Beaudesert-Beenleigh Rd at Birnam, south of Brisbane, about 6.15pm Sunday.

Ben Grahame, 17, was one of two teenagers killed in a two car crash near Beaudesert on Sunday. Picture: Supplied

The driver of the 4WD ute, 17-year-old Ben Grahame from Ormeau, and the driver of the sedan, 17-year-old Jimmy Bowie from Palen Creek, died at the scene.

Family friend Candy Looman paid tribute to Mr Grahame on social media overnight, describing him as “charismatic, funny, and the life of the party”.

“At the tender age of just 17 Ben was (his mother) Colleen’s world and she now needs to grieve,” Ms Looman wrote.

A father and son were driving on Beaudesert Rd when they saw flames in the middle of the road.

The father said they saw a woman run to the 4WD ute, which was on fire, and start banging on the roof of it.

“The real hero is that woman that was out there banging on the roof to let him know that she was there,” he said.

“We ran towards her because we heard someone alive in the car.

“We bolted. As soon as we got close we could hear some screams. I ran as fast as I could.”

The man said he tried to get into the car with his son.

“My son was right beside me, reached as hard as we could and ripped the bottom of the passenger side,” he said.

Flowers at the scene in Birnam near Beaudesert in the Scenic Rim where two 17-year-old boys were killed in a two-car crash on Sunday. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“As we pulled it up, a big whoosh of air came in.

“He looked at us and knew we were there fighting with him, he knew there were people fighting for him.

“So that was a good thing, he knew he wasn’t on his own. Where the flames parted for a second and the air rushed in, it was like he got a breath of fresh air.”

The man said everyone was chanting “Go man, get out of there, go for it.”

Friends of two teenagers killed in a two-car crash on Sunday leave flowers at a roadside memorial in Birnam near Beaudesert in the Scenic Rim. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Afterwards, the father said there wasn’t much more they could do but he hoped the family knew people were fighting for the boy.

“Hopefully it will give his family a bit of hope, knowing there were people helping him,” he said.

The man said they also tried helping the other car but struggled with the position of the other 17-year-old.

A witness driving behind the 4WD said they watched it try to overtake a slower car in front on a “blind hill”.

“Unknown to them there was a silver car going towards Beaudesert,” the woman, who did not want to be named, said.

Friends, family and wellwishers have created a roadside memorial at the scene where two teenage boys were killed in a head-on crash at Birnam, near Beaudesert in the Scenic Rim, on Sunday. Picture: Nigel Hallett

She said the 4WD flipped on to its side in the impact and pushed the silver sedan off the road.

“I had to yell to people to get back as a few seconds later the 4WD exploded,” she said.

“It was such a horrific scene and so sad.”

The woman said the inferno made it too dangerous to get near either car.

“It was a shocking event that I would rather try to forget.

“It was dark and just a huge fireball.”

Police are urging anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward.

The Queensland Police Forensic Crash Unit is investigating.