Families sue over Australian hostel blaze

The families of backpackers who perished in the arson attack on an Australian hostel two years ago were seeking compensation today, amid claims of a lack of fire safety in the building.

The families include relatives of Limerick woman Julie O'Keeffe, who died in the blaze. She was 24.

Fifteen backpackers died when drifter Robert Long set fire to the Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers, Queensland, in June 2000.

Long, 38, was jailed for life in March after he was convicted by a Brisbane court of murdering two of the backpackers and arson.

But the families of 11 of the victims today began legal action against the operators and owners of the building, the local council and Queensland state, claiming there were inadequate fire safety systems in place.

Representing the families, solicitor Tanja Kovac, of Melbourne-based Slater and Gordon, said: “The Childers families are living every parent’s worst nightmare.

“Their world has been turned upside down by the sudden catastrophic loss of their child and many continue to suffer severe psychological distress and an inability to enjoy work and life as they once did.”

The case involves 10 families - those of Julie O’Keefe, all the British victims, a South Korean woman and Australian twin sisters.

Three other families are not proceeding and a 15th victim had no immediate family, a spokesman for the solicitors said.

He said notices of claim had now been served on the building’s owner Patricia Wood, operators Christian Atkinson and John Dobe, Isis Shire Council and the State of Queensland.

The claim against the operators alleges there was not an operational fire alarm system in place, no proper fire evacuation procedure, some fire exits were blocked and they did not ensure fire exit lights were operating.

The notice also claims Ms Wood allowed the building to operate as a hostel despite the alleged failures by the operators and the council issued a permit without checking fire systems or holding proper inspections.

The claim against Queensland state alleges that it failed to exercise its powers to carry out regular fire and safety inspections.

Ms Kovac said the families are seeking modest compensation for nervous shock and loss of income.

She added: “They are determined to take whatever steps are available to them. The families are determined to prevent a recurrence of this tragedy happening again.”

Under Queensland’s new Personal Injuries Proceedings Act, the claim will now be discussed by all parties over a six-month period to see if any settlement can be agreed.

If not, the case will then go to court, the solicitors’ spokesman said.