Sometimes, the beginning of a day holds the quiet promise of laughter and sunshine, especially in places where families gather to share simple pleasures. A holiday park on Australia’s South Coast — with its barbecues set among shaded picnic tables and the hum of morning routines — seemed to offer just that calm. On Saturday morning many were preparing breakfast when a sudden and powerful gas explosion shattered the gentle ease of the moment, leaving residents and visitors alike reeling.
At about 7:30 a.m., an ordinary ritual of cooking outdoors turned into chaos. A burst of flame and force unexpectedly ripped through the barbecue area at the BIG4 Ingenia Holidays park in Lake Conjola, reducing a familiar gathering spot to rubble in seconds and jarring holidaymakers from their rest. Within moments, the joyful chatter of families mingled with shocked cries and urgent calls for help.
Amid the debris, emergency services were soon on the scene — ambulances, paramedics, and even a rescue helicopter, summoned to tend to the wounded with urgency and care. Five people were treated for injuries sustained in the blast, including two young children under the age of five, their small frames shaken by the force of the explosion.
A man in his 30s suffering facial injuries was airlifted to Wollongong Hospital, his condition described as stable, while a woman — also in her 30s — and the two children were transported to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital with what authorities called non-life-threatening injuries. Another person assessed at the scene did not require hospitalisation.
Witnesses described the moment of impact as startling — a sudden, immense sound that echoed through the park, followed by an instinctive rush to help those affected. “It was the loudest bang,” one holidaymaker said, recounting the shock that rippled through the early morning calm and drew families out of their cabins and tents to understand what had happened.
Among the scattered remnants of the blast, once-familiar items — food, toys, utensils — lay amid the wreckage, underscoring how quickly a peaceful scene can be unsettled by an unforeseen event. The outdoor kitchen and barbecue area, once a hub of anticipation for a shared meal, was now a tableau of destruction surrounded by concerned onlookers and first responders.
Local regulators from SafeWork NSW confirmed that inspectors were on site to begin inquiries into the cause of the explosion, with early assessments pointing to a suspected gas leak as the likely trigger. Investigators are expected to work through the weekend, gathering evidence and testimony from witnesses to form a clearer picture of the sequence of events.
For the families involved and the broader holidaying community, the day’s promise was abruptly altered into a moment of concern and care. Yet amid the shock, neighbours and fellow visitors stepped forward with support, comfort and compassion — a reminder that in times of unexpected upheaval, collective kindness remains a steadfast comfort.
In factual terms, emergency services responded quickly to a barbecue gas explosion at a popular holiday park in Lake Conjola on Saturday. Five people, including two young children, were injured and treated, with four hospitalised in stable condition. Authorities are investigating the cause, with SafeWork NSW leading onsite inquiries as the community begins to process the event and its aftermath.
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