"A stunt driver couldn't hit it if they tried," Ravenshoe local Johnno says.

He still can't talk about it without shaking his head and clearing his throat.

It's been a week and a day since an out-of-control utility slammed into a gas tank at the back of the Serves You Right Cafe, sparking an explosion that cost two locals their lives and left another 18 seriously or critically injured.

Johnno used to work the mines. Like many others in far north Queensland, he's since forgotten his last name.  There's no need for it in a town like Ravenshoe where everyone already knows who you are. There's only just over 800 faces to remember.

He'd been at the pub last Tuesday. The second highest pub in Queensland. The highest is just up the road.

"A bloke put his head in the door and said, 'oh, it looks like the bakery has just blown up'," he said, the bunya nuts on his hat bobbing with his head.

"And I just bolted. Never run so fast in my life. Thought I'd have a heart attack I was going so fast."

The Highland Bakery, where the icing on the finger buns is as pink as a north Queensland sunset, was fine. It was next door that he found his mates.  And the fire. The smell and
the noise.

By now, water was being handed out as fast as Johnno made the 100 metre dash to the cafe. He poured water over a mate. Emptied one bottle. Poured some more.
Then did it again, and again, and again.

They'd worked together in the early 2000s. Formed a bond. While the water poured over his raw skin, his mate tried to shoo Johnno further away from the cafe, from him, and closer to safety.

The fire seemed like it wouldn't stop burning.

"But I said, I don't care, I'm not leaving until the ambulance gets here," he said. "Hell of a thing to cop."

It was the town's butcher who ran in to turn the gas off. The force of the blow proved too much for the besser brick wall behind the cafe.

The warped plastic of a council wheelie bin is testament to the strength of the flames.

The flowers which line the path in front of the cafe, the look of shock in the eyes of locals, proof of the grieving which has just begun.

"Everyone knew someone, you know," Ben said.

"Everyone knew someone who was there."

Or meant to be there. People can't stop talking about that day.  Who changed their mind about heading to the cafe at the last minute because life got in the way. Those who decided to head in.

Acting Premier Jackie Trad came on Wednesday, walking the short main street with local MP Shane Knuth.

"Who's the woman in black? Oh, Trad. I know that name. We don't pay a lot of attention up here to things like that. Don't need it. But it's nice they came," one woman said as she left the post office.

There, amongst the rental ads - $280 a week for a four bedroom home - and the "desperate" request for volunteers for the rural fire brigade ahead of the upcoming fire season, and the soccer ads, are some notices for those who want a "coffee and a chat" about what happened.

Telstra has made the pay phones free. People stop each other and ask if they are OK.

Just Pamela spots Ms Trad and makes a beeline.

She came to the town 18 years ago with her late partner, an ambulance officer who came to Ravenshoe on the promise a second ambulance officer was on their way.

"We're still waiting for them," she said. "This town needs another ambulance officer.  If there is more than one
emergency, it takes another 20 minutes for the next closest paramedic to make the trip.

"This is about what the people here need, not about making government look good. We have the infrastructure, we just need the second officer."

Ms Trad promises she will look into it.

But would it have made a difference last Tuesday?

"No," Pamela said.

"Nothing would.

"But the town will recover.  You can see that."

Further up the road, June talks with friends.

She easily spots the interlopers.

"Come up from the big smoke have ya?," she says.

"We've had a lot of visitors this last week. Guess we've put Ravenshoe on the map.

"But it could have been a lot worse. A lot worse. It's good to remember that."

But looking at the charred roller door of the Serves You Right, and seeing the haunted look in the eyes of those who pass it, it's hard to see how much worse it could be.

Coffee here is a treat. But where once a sandwich board offered roast beef or chicken gravy rolls for $5 is a request for donations.

Donation jars sit in every store, with everything from 50s to spare coins sitting in them. There are a lot of people trying to get to those they love, who lie in hospitals across the state. And even more that needs to be done when those people get home. And everyone is praying they will.

The other cafe in town sits opposite the Serves You Right. Conversation in its courtyard is centred across the road. Who was there last week.  Who saw what.  Someone heard gas leaking out immediately after the crash. So it couldn't have ignited immediately. Nah, still don't know about the driver. He's in a bad way. They're
all in a bad way. Yeah, the owners were away. It was their daughter who was managing it. She had the fudge shop.  Can't imagine what they're feeling. Can't imagine. But they're trying. And they hope those in the "big smoke" will too.