Young couple suffer serious burns in gas bottle explosion at Robina cafe

A young couple preparing to open a cafe on the Gold Coast have been rushed to a Brisbane hospital with significant burns after a gas bottle exploded, with witnesses describing the chaotic scene.

Staff at a Robina health centre say they were forced to treat horrific burns after a gas bottle exploded at a cafe on Friday. 

Young couple James Rutland, 26, and Jessica Horsley, 23, were badly injured in the explosion at Robina on the Gold Coast.

The pair were preparing for the opening of their cafe when a gas bottle exploded, seriously burning them. 

The owner of nearby health centre Atlantis Recovery, who did not wish to be named, said his 21-year-old daughter was pulling up in her car when the explosion happened. 

“She had the woman screaming, running towards her with blisters just saying, ‘Help me, help me’,” he said. 

“She actually saw the glass flying out at her car.”

The young couple badly injured in the cafe explosion have been identified as James Rutland, 26, and Jessica Horsley, 23 Picture Supplied

So she ran in and got the staff.

My exercise physiologist cut the lady’s apron off and put towels on her to keep the burns down. 

“My physio (Darren Corea) was helping as well.

“We’ve got no towels, there were about 20 towels that went away with them in the ambulance.”  

Other witnesses have described a huge explosion and windows blowing out at the Energy Circuit premises, which sits under a unit block.

Mr Rutland and Ms Horsley were taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital with significant burns to the face, chest, arms and legs.

QAS Officer in Charge Andre Gollop confirmed two patients, a man and a woman aged in their 20s, were being taken to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a serious but stable condition. The QAS High Acuity Response Unit was on board for transport.

“We were sent to a newly built coffee shop in the Robina area. A 26-year-old male and a 23-year-old female were currently setting up the kitchen within this new coffee shop,” he said.

“When they were testing the gas system, they’ve had a flash explosion occur and both the male and the female occupants have sustained pretty significant burns …

“We are very well resourced to manage these unwell patients at this stage.

“There was no fire subsequent to the explosion.”

Emergency services at the scene of a gas explosion in Energy Circuit Robina. Picture Glenn Hampson

A witness who was in a neighbouring building said he heard a massive bang and two people inside the cafe emerged covered in burns.

“I felt it, the building I was in shook,” he said.

“A man came out covered in burns, his arms looked like a mess. Another person came out covered too.”

Jasmin Stringer said she was at the other end of the street when she heard a loud bang.

“It didn’t initially sound like an explosion. We thought shelving or something fell down but it was really really loud,” she said.

“After the bang I ran straight out onto the balcony and saw the people who were injured running out screaming.

“It was quite a traumatising sound, more so for them than us. It wasn’t a nice scene.

“There were very severe burns and I was straight on the phone to triple zero.

Emergency services and witnesses at the scene of a gas explosion in Energy Circuit Robina. Picture Glenn Hampson

Local woman Valerie de Jersey was dropping off a friend at a neighbouring business when she heard a loud explosion and saw the windows of the cafe blow out.

“It happened as we drove in,” she said.

“I just pulled up here and the window just blew out, literally just blew out. They (the cafe owners) ran out screaming for help and I ran over to see if I could do to help.

“The police ran across and put towels and water on them. They were pretty badly burnt and shaken.”

Inspectors at the scene of a gas explosion in Energy Circuit Robina. Picture Glenn Hampson

A woman living in a unit upstairs said she heard an “extremely loud” explosion and felt the building shake.

“I heard the explosion and felt the vibration - the police were here in about 30 seconds,” she said.

“They just evacuated us all across the road.”

The Robina Police Station is just across the road.

Paramedics at the Robina Police Station, where the couple were taken after the explosion. Picture: Greg Stolz

The woman said the cafe, formerly known has Otve, had not yet opened, with a young couple who had recently taken over the space preparing for a “grand opening” as Local Harvest Cafe.

Photographic model Jasmine Stringer, who was having a photo shoot in a neighbouring studio, said she ran out after hearing a “horrific explosion”.

“We were in the middle of the photo shoot and heard a really big bang,” she said.

“It wasn’t clear that it was a gas explosion however once we heard the victims screaming to call Triple 0, we realised what had happened.”

Police at the scene of an explosion at a Gold Coast cafe. Picture: Greg Stolz

Queensland Ambulance Service supervisor Adrian Gollop said the two patients were being treated by police at the station across the road when paramedics arrived.

“We were sent to a newly built coffee shop in the Robina area. A 26-year-old male and a 23-year-old female were currently setting up the kitchen within this new coffee shop,” he said.

“When they were testing the gas system, they’ve had a flash explosion occur and both the male and the female occupants have sustained pretty significant burns … .”

Before deciding to open their cafe, Mr Rutland worked as a chef at Green Island Resort off Cairns while Ms Rutland trained as a barista and also ran her own babysitting service.

The pair had been excitedly promoting the countdown to the opening of the cafe on social media, promising customers a free coffee with a meal on opening day.

A gas bottle exploded as a young couple were fitting out the kitchen of their new cafe. Picture: Glenn Hampson