Video: five suffer severe burns in Queensland boat fire

A boy is among five people who were rushed to hospital after a speedboat caught fire off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTFrbkrWeAo
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A five-year-old boy and four other people are being treated for “significant burns” after a fire on a speedboat off the Queensland coast, Australia.

The incident happened near to South Stradbroke Island off the Gold Coast on 30 October, 2016.

According to 9 News, the passengers on the speedboat were forced to leap from the vessel after it caught fire close to shore at Tipplers Beach.

A passenger with severe burns is taken off a boat after a fire off Queensland

One of the passengers is treated by paramedics following the boat fire

Video recorded by a witness shows members of the public trying to douse the flames, some using jet-skis.

There are also reports of an explosion before the fire.

The passengers were helped by the crew of a passing cruiser, which was used as a base to treat the victims.

Paramedics from the Queensland Ambulance Service treated the boy, along with a man and three women at the scene, before they were all transferred to hospital.

Water police, paramedics, firefighters and volunteers with Marine Rescue Queensland attended the incident.

According to ABC, a 20-year-old woman and a man were flown to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

A 19-year-old woman was transferred to the Gold Coast University Hospital and a 26-year-old woman was taken to the Royal Brisbane by ambulance.

The young boy is being treated to the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital. He is reported to be in a stable condition.

An investigation is now underway into the cause of the fire.