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The heroes of the Ravenshoe blast

FIRST ON 7: Extraordinary tales of bravery have emerged after a devastating explosion at a Queensland café that injured 20 people.

The blast was triggered when an out-of-control car crashed into the Serves You Right Café in Ravenshoe on Tuesday, causing a huge explosion and fire.


Local resident Eric Balodis was standing across the street at the time and rushed to help, despite the risk to his own life.

"I knew somewhere inside me, something said I could help,” he told 7News.

Mr Balodis described the scene inside the café as 'horrific'.

CCTV footage captured the moment the cafe exploded.
CCTV footage captured the moment the cafe exploded.
Forensic officers examine the accident site.
Forensic officers examine the accident site.

He said the first thing he saw was a woman who had been badly burnt.

“She was on fire she had most of her clothes burnt off or blown off she had small fires all over her body, in her hair.”

Mr Balodis used his jacket to put out the flames and then continued trying to help other victims.

In the café’s kitchen, he found a severely injured woman, Nicole Dempsey.

The 37-year-old is the daughter of the café’s owners and had been looking after her parents business while they were away on holiday.

She suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body.

A ute ploughed into the back of the Serves You Right cafe.
A ute ploughed into the back of the Serves You Right cafe.

Mr Balodis dragged Ms Dempsey out of the burning wreckage and towards a medical treatment centre.

“I grabbed her by the ankles and started dragging her out,” he said.

“There were pieces of debris everywhere. I had to bash them down with my foot.”

Dick Jenson and his son Graham rushed to help victims.
Dick Jenson and his son Graham rushed to help victims.

Other residents have also received praise for how they responded in the aftermath of the blast.

Local butcher Dick Jenson and his son Graham rushed to help the driver of the car that crashed into the cafe.

He was trapped in his vehicle but together they pulled him to safety.

"You don't think about that, do you. You do what you can at the time,” Dick told 7News.



Eight people remain in a critical condition following the incident.

Seven of those have been transported to the Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital (RBWH), in what authorities say is one of the state's biggest ever burns events.

A further 12 people are being treated in Townsville, Atherton, Innisfail and Cairns.

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said the scale of the tragedy was unprecedented.

"We've never seen this many burns in Queensland before," she said on Thursday.

"They'll be receiving treatment for many months, if not years to come."

News break - June 11
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