Traumatised witnesses have expressed profound shock and horror after a man became engulfed in flames inside the emergency department of Cairns Hospital in the early hours of Thursday morning. The incident, which occurred just after 2am, has left onlookers deeply shaken, with one describing it as feeling like a scene from a movie.
Witness Account of the Terrifying Event
Kelsey Meyers, who was waiting for treatment with her husband, recounted the disturbing events. She observed a man, after waiting to be seen by medical staff, pour a large quantity of hand sanitiser over himself. 'It honestly feels like a movie,' Ms Meyers told the Cairns Post. 'I’m so grateful there were nurses there to help him. A male nurse grabbed the bottle and said, "Come on, mate, we don’t need to do that".'
Ms Meyers characterised the scene as 'absolutely horrific', emphasising the lasting impact of the experience. 'The smell, the screams, I will never forget it. It was bloodcurdling,' she said. 'My partner tried to shield me, but even in the reflection of a window, I could see it.'
Emergency Response and Aftermath
In the chaotic aftermath, several individuals were relocated to a back area of the emergency department, confined to a small room to escape the smoke and odour. 'We were trying to get away from the smoke and the smell,' Ms Meyers explained. 'It’s stuck in my nostrils. My partner was telling the nurse to close the door because the smell was making us sick, we just wanted to get out.'
The response from hospital staff was swift, but not without personal cost. Ms Meyers noted that one of the nurses who extinguished the flames sustained burns to his hands and arms during the intervention.
Hospital Statement and Review Process
Leena Singh, representing the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, confirmed that a staff member was injured in the incident. She stated that employees have been 'offered assistance and counselling support' in the wake of the traumatic event.
Ms Singh detailed the immediate actions taken by the hospital team: 'As per established protocols, at the time of the incident, our staff quickly and calmly decanted a relatively small number of people from the main ED waiting room into a secure, safe alternative area within the department. This was done both to remove everyone from any physical risk and, importantly, to shield them from having to witness a potentially traumatic scene.'
Furthermore, Ms Singh announced that a comprehensive incident review will be conducted. 'With every serious event that occurs within the Health Service, a full incident review is conducted to ensure we continue to learn and strengthen our already robust emergency response protocols,' she affirmed.
The community and those affected are now grappling with the psychological aftermath of this alarming incident at the Cairns Hospital emergency department.
