A man is in a critical condition following a fire that engulfed his motel room in Moorooka, south Brisbane, this morning. The blaze broke out around 8am at the Moorooka Motel and is being treated as suspicious by police.
Residents swiftly intervened, alerting those in adjacent units after noticing that the smoke alarms in the motel appeared to have failed. As emergency services arrived, they encountered a fully developed fire on the lower level, with initial reports suggesting that some individuals were unaccounted for.
Fortunately, all residents were later accounted for, including 32-year-old Levi Clamp, who was able to escape his room but sustained serious burns in the process. Paramedics performed CPR on Clamp before rushing him to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Witness Fairuz Khan expressed deep concern for those affected, stating they were worried and praying for their safety. Among the brave individuals was local resident Alain Ferre, who valiantly entered the smoky environment to help others escape, armed only with a fire hydrant.
Clamp’s situation remains precarious; he is currently in a critical but stable condition after undergoing surgery. The inferno was contained within minutes, but its rapid intensity raised significant alarm. Residents reported that the smoke alarms did not activate during the incident.
Chris Peirson from the Queensland Fire Department emphasised the crucial need for functioning smoke alarms, noting, “You just don’t know what’s going to happen or when it’s going to happen.”
Authorities have since established a crime scene as investigations into the fire continue. The incident has stirred discussions about fire safety, especially concerning the importance of having operational smoke detectors in residences.