The scene of the tragedy
Police in the Australian state of Queensland say they are unsure of the number of people killed in a fire in a backpackers' hostel. At least 15 people are thought to have been killed, many of them Europeans. Police say that they it will take days to identify the bodies found to date.
Around 69 people survived, including three Irishwomen, but some were treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation. The fire broke out in the Palace Hostel in Childers, 130 miles north of Brisbane in the state of Queensland. Most of those who died are believed to have been foreigners.
A spokeswoman for Queensland police, Tracey Brown, said that the three were being cared for by local people. The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, sent his condolences to the families of those who died. There is a telephone helpline for people who are anxious about their relatives. The number is: 00-61-73-364-3561.
