Forensic experts are investigating the cause of a blaze that killed a camper at Telegraph Pool near the Fitzroy River in Western Australia.
The dead man, 57-year-old Peter Williams Linehan from Perth was sleeping in a roof top tent and awning attached to his ute when fire broke out. Mr Linehan’s 64-year-old brother-in-law was awoken by shouts and found his travelling companion with burns to 90% of his body.
A group of grey nomads camping nearby were among those who rushed to the scene. A couple, who declined to be named, had been at the popular camping spot, about 80km from Derby down a rough track, in the hopes of catching barramundi.
They told ABC Local Radio they had been sitting around with four other couples on Saturday evening when, at about 9.30pm, one of the group noticed a big fire. When they arrived, the badly burnt man was already out of the vehicle and lying on the ground away from the fire.
The blaze had engulfed the car, tent top and adjoining tent where the brother-in-law had been sleeping. “It was a real inferno, there were six small canisters of gas so they were exploding in the fire, it was frightening,” the couple said. “His brother-in-law had sustained some burns as well … they’d done the right thing, got him to the ground and rolled him over and wrapped him up, but then exposed the body again to put water on it.”
Nearby campers helped get Mr Linehan to an ambulance at the main road but he was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Det. Sgt Craig Wasley said how the fire broke out remained a mystery at this stage. “From the scene there are no obvious suspicious circumstances,” Det. Sgt Wasley told the West Australian newspaper. “Somehow that tent has become ignited and unfortunately the victim inside has received horrific burns.”
