AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2000
QLD: Bravery awards follow fatal oil field fire
By Gil Breitkreutz
BRISBANE, Feb 14 AAP - Four men who rescued workmates at a fatal explosion at an oil
field in far south west Queensland have been awarded Bravey Medals for their courage in
hazardous circumstances.
The accident happened at 7.45am on December 17, 1998, at the Watson Oil Field when
a storage tank under maintenance exploded, killing one of the eight man crew instantly.
Another died the following day and a third suffered severe burns to more than 60 per
cent of his body.
Boilermaker-welder John Hodge of Brisbane was working near the tank when he was knocked
to the ground by the force of the explosion.
Despite the intense heat and billowing smoke from the blaze that followed, Mr Hodge
helped injured work mates into an evaporation pond until other rescuers arrived.
"We lost a couple of good men that day," Mr Hodge said today.
The fire had changed the lives of all those on the remote oil field site that day and
Mr Hodge has never worked since.
Paul Easton of Toowoomba was also working on the Watson field when the explosion occurred.
Seeing a work mate flung into the air, Mr Easton ignored the following explosions and
flames and helped three injured workers to safety.
Once they were safe he applied wet sheets and ice to their injuries to ease their initial
suffering.
"It's good to get a bravery award but it was just something you had to do," he said.
Two other workers, William Loof of Brisbane and Mathew O'Shannessy of Thargomindah
also helped in the rescue and early treatment of the injured.
The official citation in the Australian bravery awards, announced by Governor General
Sir William Deane, said each of the men had displayed considerable bravery.
The awards for Queensland will be presented at a special ceremony at Government House,
Brisbane, in April.
AAP geb/sc/ah/bwl
KEYWORD: BRAVERY WATSON
2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
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