Police treat fatal Bowen backpackers' hostel fire as suspiciousBy Jenae Madden, Bryn Wakefield and Liam O'ConnellABC Tropical NorthTopic:Fires13m ago13 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 12:13amFirefighters arrived at the Bowen hostel to find it engulfed in flames. (Supplied: Scott Kennedy)In short:The identity of a person who died in a suspicious fire at a backpackers' hostel in north Queensland is yet to be determined.The body was found in a room not thought to be occupied.What's next?Specialist fire investigators and forensic and scientific police officers are at the scene.abc.net.au/news/police-treat-fatal-bowen-backpackers-hostel-fire-as-suspicious/105239930Link copiedShareShare articleA French backpacker has described his escape from a fatal fire in a backpackers' hostel in north Queensland, as police confirm they are treating the blaze as suspicious.Investigators are yet to formally identify remains found in the Bowen hostel hours after the blaze, which took hold the day new owners were due to take over the business. Paul Hamache said he was asleep in one of Barnacle Backpackers two neighbouring buildings when his friend woke him in the early hours of Wednesday."I just came out from my room and the flame was just in front of me," Mr Hamache said."The fire was really big. I have never seen something like this, so it was crazy for us because we didn't really know what's happened."Paul Hamache says he faced big flames escaping the fire. (ABC Tropical North: Bryn Wakefield)Firefighters called to the scene about 3:30am found the Queenslander-style building neighbouring where Mr Hamache was staying engulfed in flames."It was a bit scary … I could see flames. We moved our stuff quickly because we didn't want it burnt," Mr Hamache said.It was not until late Wednesday afternoon that crews found the remains of a person in a room thought to have been vacant.Firefighters dampen down the Bowen hostel. (ABC Tropical North: Bryn Wakefield)"Emergency services were able to respond quite quickly and evacuate the premises and all known persons from the premises were accounted for," Detective Acting Inspector Luke Jackson said."It's only after we've been able to conduct an examination of the scene once it was safe enough to do so that we've identified these unknown remains that weren't expected to be there."The body is yet to be formally identified.Specialist heavy lifting equipment was brought in to help fire scene investigators access the site to determine the cause.Police have been at the scene of the Bowen hostel fire. (ABC Tropical North: Bryn Wakefield)"We treat this fire as suspicious, 100 per cent," Detective Acting Inspector Jackson said."Police are conducting a thorough investigation and they've interviewed a number of persons and are taking statements."The couple set to take ownership of the backpackers' hostel said the business was due to change hands on Wednesday.Detective Acting Inspector Jackson said he could not comment on whether the hostel had met fire safety standards.A crime scene has been declared at the Bowen hostel. (ABC Tropical North: Bryn Wakefield)Mr Hamache had only recently returned to Bowen after working in the town two years ago.He said the incident would not change his plans."It's just a bit weird," he said."[But] I know this place, I love this place. It's so beautiful."Posted 13m ago13 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 12:13amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top Stories'Pandemonium' on the M1 as metal shards shred tyres Topic:Road Accidents and IncidentsPhoto shows A hand holding bits of scrap metal.Corflute wars: Hundreds of election signs destroyed or removedTopic:VandalismPhoto shows a blue corflute that's been burnt and attached to a poleHow housing affordability could swing votes on SaturdayTopic:Property PricesPhoto shows A man outside his Qld home standing next to the fence at the front of the houseLabor and Coalition paths to victory mappedTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsPhoto shows A stylised map shows Australia's 150 federal electorates as clusters of hexagons, with an animated change of colourDutton says 'we're in for the fight of our lives' as leaders begin final push LIVEPhoto shows Peter Dutton drinks juice at a factory wearing hi visRelated storiesBody found in ruins of Queensland backpackers' hostel after fireTopic:FiresPhoto shows Flames come out of a long two-storey burning building at night.Related topicsBowenFiresPoliceTop Stories'Pandemonium' on the M1 as metal shards shred tyres Topic:Road Accidents and IncidentsPhoto shows A hand holding bits of scrap metal.Corflute wars: Hundreds of election signs destroyed or removedTopic:VandalismHow housing affordability could swing votes on SaturdayTopic:Property PricesLabor and Coalition paths to victory mappedTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsDutton says 'we're in for the fight of our lives' as leaders begin final push Topic:Government and PoliticsJust InHow the best AFL teams can win games through clearancesAnalysis by Cody Atkinson3m ago3 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 12:23amAnother Simple Favor is just as deranged and delightful as the first filmTopic:Movies6m ago6 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 12:19amPolice treat fatal Bowen backpackers' hostel fire as suspiciousTopic:Fires13m ago13 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 12:13amCIA releases videos encouraging Chinese officials to leak secrets to USTopic:Security Intelligence14m ago14 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 12:11amMore Just InBack to top