Survivor of Childers calls Bundy tavern inferno ‘spooky’
While authorities rejoice in the fact there were no fatalities from last night’s devastating fire at a Bundaberg backpackers, a survivor of the deadly Childers inferno – which happened just down the road almost exactly 20 years ago – says he can’t believe the similarities.
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Monday night’s shocking fire at Bundaberg’s Spotted Dog Tavern and Federal Backpackers has been called “very eerie” by a Childers hostel survivor.
The regional inferno, which luckily saw all 62 occupants escape unharmed, comes on the 20th anniversary of the original Childers backpacker fire.
How ‘everything changed’ after Childers fire
Fifteen backpackers died when Robert Paul Long set the Palace hostel on fire in Childers June 2000.
Long was jailed for 20 years but has applied for parole this year.
He was charged with arson and two counts of murder of twins Kelly and Stacey Slarke but not over the 13 other deaths.
Richard Tempest was one 70 backpackers who survived the Childers fire.
He said it was like “deja vu” seeing images of last night’s fire in Bundaberg.
“It’s spooky,” Mr Tempest told The Courier-Mail.
“I can’t believe it. It brings it back. It’s too close to home, being that it’s a backpackers and being that it’s in Bundaberg, near Childers.
“I’ve only seen a few images of it but it certainly is very eerie and almost looks like a mirror image with all the flames at the top of the backpackers,” he said.
“Thankfully everyone has got out and everyone is OK.
“Let’s hope it’s just an electrical fire or an accident and hope it’s not a repeat of the Childers fire in 2000.”
While authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire, a Public Safety Preservation Act remains in place, with crews trying to manage the risk of the building collapsing.
REMEMBERING THE CHILDERS BACKPACKER FIRE, 20 YEARS ON
- ‘BODIES FELL THROUGH CEILING’: FLASHPOINT OF DEADLY INFERNO
- SEVEN COFFINS OF HEATHROW: MOMENT FAMILY’S NIGHTMARE UNRAVELLED’
- HOW SUICIDAL MADMAN GOT AWAY WITH KILLING 13
- ‘I’M DYING ANYWAY’: LONG’S BIZARRE $10 NOTE CONFESSION
- ‘SNAKY LITTLE BASTARD’: INSIDE LONG’S PRISON LIFE
- DEATHLY SCREAMS, SCRAMBLE FOR LIFE: INSIDE AS PALACE EXPLODED