Childers victims' families take legal action

The families of 15 backpackers who were killed in an Australian hostel fire three years ago are to sue the owners and government officials for negligence, their lawyer said today.

The youngsters – including 24-year-old Irishwoman Julie O’Keefe from Limerick – died when flames tore through the Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers, a Queensland farming community, in June 2000.

The Brisbane District Court has granted leave for 26 people representing the families of the 15 killed to file a claim for damages. It must be submitted before a statute of limitations expires at the end of this month.

Tanja Kovac, a lawyer representing the families, said they will be suing the hostel owners and managers, the local city government, and the Queensland state government.

Kovac said the hostel’s fire alarm system was turned off in April 2000 after a series of malfunctions beginning in November 1999. She also said government officials failed to ensure the safety of the building.

Robert Paul Long, 39, was found guilty last March of murder and arson for the blaze. He was sentenced to life in prison.