Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Coroner to rule on Qld cafe explosion
A Queensland coroner is set to hand down her findings into a deadly cafe explosion that killed two people after a ute slammed into two large gas bottles.
June 26, 2020
A coroner will outline what lessons can be learned from the deadly Ravenshoe cafe explosion that killed two people and seriously injured more than a dozen others five years ago.
Brian Andrew Scutt was behind the wheel of an out-of-control ute that smashed into the Serves You Right cafe in the far north Queensland town in June 2015.
The impact ignited two large gas bottles, causing a massive fireball, which killed cafe manager and mother-of-two Nicole Nyholt, 37, and 83-year-old grandmother Margaret Clark.
Nineteen people were injured.
Mr Scutt spent several weeks in a coma after breaking his back and sustaining burns in the blast.
Coroner Nerida Wilson will hand down her findings in Cairns Coroners Court on Friday after hearing evidence from a number of witnesses who tried to shed light on how and why the tragic incident occurred.
She is also expected to have explored the medical treatment given to Mr Scutt for seizures he suffered leading up to the crash.
The 64-year-old, who died last year, was charged with dangerous driving cause death following the collision.
However, a court ruled him permanently unfit for trial on mental health grounds because of his dementia.
Ms Wilson will also deliver findings on whether Mr Scutt complied with medical advice not to drive and if he should have held a driver’s licence.