Scene of horror they can’t forget

TWO Burnie women who helped drag people from a car explosion will never forget the horrific scene.

pride of australia

TWO Burnie women who helped drag two boys and their father from a car explosion in 2012 will never forget the horrific scene but are glad they were there to help.

Janell Walker and Talissa Allford were relaxing at home in December of that year when they heard a sound they wish to never hear again.

A car in the backyard of a house across the road at Shorewell had exploded.

Inside were two boys, two gas cylinders and the boys’ father. The man has been jailed for attempted murder.

The women helped get the two badly burnt boys and their father safely away from the car. They kept the boys, aged 5 and 8, as calm as they could while they waited for ambulances to arrive.

“I still remember the scene vividly and walking past the house still brings the memories back,” Ms Walker said.

“But there were children involved and we’d do anything we could again if we had to.”

Mrs Allford said their job was to keep the children calm but she had struggled to stay that way in the face of such a terrible scene.

She said being asked by one of the little boys if “she could take the pain away” had been especially hard to cope with.

The women have been nominated for a Pride of Australia 2014 award in the courage category. Nominations for the awards close today.

Make your nomination here