Robert Paul Long in two-day rooftop protest that forces lockdown at Wolston jail

The man who killed 15 people in the Childers hostel fire has finally surrendered to authorities after close to two days on the roof in a protest that locked the jail down.

Childers backpacker killer Robert Paul Long has surrendered to authorities after he took to the rooftop of a Brisbane jail to protest for almost two days.

Long was jailed for 20 years over the Palace hostel fire in Childers which killed 15 people in June 2000.

He was charged and convicted over the murder of twins Stacey and Kelly Slarke.

Long had his parole refused in 2021, with the parole board receiving letters from survivors and a petition with more than 17,000 signatures before rejecting his application.

Long, who turns 60 in May, has been housed in Wolston jail and during that time has worked as a carer for other prisoners.

Robert Paul Long in a helicopter after the arson attack on Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers that left 15 dead, headed for Arthur Gorrie Prison in Brisbane on June 2000. Picture: Steve Pohlner

It’s unclear why he took to the rooftop on his own some time after 10am on Monday, triggering a “code silver” at the jail.

“A prisoner on a rooftop has descended from the building at Wolston Correctional Centre at 8.25am today,” a Queensland Corrective Services spokeswoman said.

“The prisoner was medically assessed before being placed in the detention unit. There are no reports of injuries to staff.

“The prisoner will be accommodated in the detention unit while investigations remain ongoing.”

The Courier-Mail previously revealed Long had been working as a carer for geriatrics in jail, which would include taking them for check-ups at the medical centre.

“He’s a nasty little man,” a former prisoner told The Courier-Mail.

Robert Paul Long after the arson attack on Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers that left 15 dead.

“But he bosses people around and he looks after himself.

“He won’t be an asset in the community because he is a snakey, snakey, little bastard.

“Unfortunately he is not old enough to be written off as a menace to society.”

“He and I ran into arguments because he takes over and controls the food for the unit,” the former prisoner said.

“When they build up a bit of a surplus, they swap it around. And he gets other benefits from outside his little empire he runs.

The gutted Childers Backpackers Palace Hostel after the fire on June 23 2000.

The former prisoner said Long was short but had a “big pot belly on him”, which was “quite vulgar”, and estimated he weighed 85-90kg.

“He got the pot belly because he used to drink a lot of Coke,” he said.

“I figured he would get rewarded with tokens. And tokens buy you things like Coke. I only ever saw him drink Coke.”

Robert Paul Long.

Long would sit at a table with other carers and would share a joke.

“If he wasn’t a carer I think he would have struggled a bit,” the former prisoner said.

“He kept to himself. He is a loner. I didn’t see him mixing with anybody else other than carers.

“He never seemed to not have a Coke. He lived well and he drank well, for what it’s worth.”

The matter is likely to be referred to the Corrective Services Investigation Unit in the Queensland Police Service to investigate any potential criminal offences.

Prisoners can also be breached and face prison disciplinary action, which includes time in the detention unit.