Grief expressed, mourners in Childers today
The Irish ambassador to Australia, Richard O'Brien, has attended a memorial service in Queensland for the 15 people who died in a fire at a hostel there two days ago. He was joined by about 2000 people, including the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and most of the 69 survivors, in the town centre of Childers, north of Brisbane. Mr Howard appeared close to tears as he expressed the grief of the Australian people. "Can I express my unfounded admiration and respect for the people of this wonderful town, and all the others that have given such wonderful help and sustenance and support," he said.
The passport of a 24-year-old Irish woman, Julie O'Keeffe, was found at the hostel. Ms O'Keeffe, a past pupil of Laurel Hill convent, Limerick, and a marketing graduate of Waterford Institute of Technology, has not contacted her family since the fire. The emergency services have removed three bodies from the hostel. They say it will take some time to remove and identify all the bodies because the building is unstable. Police are continuing their search for a Sydney man, Robert Long, who was seen near the hostel before it became engulfed in flames.
Mourners laid flowers on a bench in front of the charred remains of the hostel and left messages to the young backpackers who lost their lives in the blaze. The state of Queensland will observe a day of mourning tomorrow.
