Overview

• A pre-dawn fire on Wednesday destroyed Barnacles Backpackers hostel in Bowen, Queensland, and left one person dead.
• Five residents evacuated safely, but a body was later discovered in a room initially thought to be vacant.
• Police have deemed the fire suspicious and are conducting forensic analyses to identify the victim and determine the fire's cause.
• Authorities are investigating whether the timber structure complied with safety regulations at the time of the blaze.
• Police are appealing for public assistance, requesting dashcam or CCTV footage and witness testimonies to aid the inquiry.