MOUNT Isa Police District officers have been recognised for being among the first to attend a caravan explosion in Mount Isa almost two years ago.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Constable Wayne Querruel received the Queensland Police Service’s Bravery Medal for his response in Deighton Street on July 28, 2015, following an explosion in which two children and their father died. Senior Constable Tyson Seumanu received the Commissioner’s Certificate.
Police investigators had determined that the man, Charlie Hinder, had intentionally caused the explosion, killing himself and his children Nyobi, 7, and River, 4.
Mount Isa’s acting superintendent Chris Hodgman said the house and caravan were on fire when police officers including Constable Querruel and Senior Constable Seumanu arrived at the explosion.
There was a large amount of debris and remains on the road and a woman screaming her children were missing.
At the time, police believed that the children had been in the burning house and not in the destroyed caravan.
Explosions within the caravan were identified as ammunition.
So Constable Querruel, Senior Sergeant Graham Boyd and QFES officer Jason Fevola rushed into the house to try and save the children. The latter two were off duty but came when they heard the explosion.
“Senior Constable Seumanu and Sergeant (Brendan) Poustie entered the front yard of the house and commenced searching the wreckage of the caravan and outside the house looking for survivors,” acting Superintendent Hodgman said.
“Several more rounds of ammunition went off, striking the vehicles in the carport where the officers were taking cover.
“QFES officers arrived and people were then able to examine the debris on the road.
“It was then they became aware that the children had been inside the caravan when it exploded.”
Officers evacuated the surrounding houses and provided support to members of the public, who were traumatised.
They then needed to search for evidence at the crime scene.
“It was later established the male person had intentionally detonated an explosive device in the caravan, killing himself and his two children,” acting Superintendent Hodgman said.