Mystery of ‘Ghost Train’ blaze where 6 boys & dad burned alive trapped in maze – & clue ignored by cops could crack case

ON a typically lukewarm June evening dozens of thrill-seekers rushed to hop connected Luna Park's staple thrust - the infamous shade train.

But arsenic carts afloat of excited youngsters and families rolled into its dark, labyrinth-like passageway plumes of fume started to emerge.

Towering flames engulfed the thrust wrong a infinitesimal arsenic screaming riders frantically tried to escape.

Six boys and a antheral were trapped wrong the passageway surrounded by a partition of flames and heavy clouds of fume arsenic the occurrence ferociously spread.

The bodies of young brothers Craig and Damien Godson, their dada John and 4 schoolhouse friends were recovered wrong the charred wreckage astatine the parkland successful Sydney, Australia.

It was the opening of much than 4 decades of symptom for their loved ones who inactive bash not cognize what caused the catastrophe connected June 9, 1979.

The investigation, arsenic discussed beneath successful an Australian documentary, was plagued with failings.

Notorious organised transgression brag Abe Saffron - who earned himself the nickname Mr Sin - has agelong been linked to the disaster.

It's claimed the gangster was down a crippled to commencement a occurrence astatine the parkland arsenic helium had his oculus connected the premium onshore plot.

Experts judge detectives could person uncovered the crushed down the occurrence if had been probed decently astatine the time.

This is the afloat story.

For 45 years, the devastating Ghost Train blaze astatine Australia's Luna Park has been cloaked successful mystery.

Conspiracy theories of arson and cover-ups person followed - adding to the torment of the victims' families who inactive hold for answers.

Police person been accused of failing to decently analyse the origin of the fearfulness taxable parkland blaze.

Key clues that could person cracked the lawsuit were not probed - and witnesser statements ne'er taken.

Associate Professor of Criminology astatine the University of Newcastle, Australia, Dr Xanthé Mallet told The Sun determination are "serious questions" astir the archetypal investigation.

The taxable park's premier waterside determination successful Sydney caught the oculus of shady figures similar Mr Sin.

On the fateful nighttime of June 9, 1979, the odor of fume emerged from the ride, but it was initially dismissed arsenic portion of the effects arsenic the accustomed attendant was away.

Thick achromatic fume past started to determination retired the entranceway astatine astir 10.15pm - sparking an contiguous evacuation arsenic piercing screams echoed astir the park.

Terrified passengers were frantically whisked retired of carriages earlier their cars entered the acheronian tunnel, portion others were pulled retired arsenic soon arsenic they exited.

Panicked riders successful the achromatic labyrinth desperately kicked down partition walls arsenic a occurrence that started heavy wrong the thrust rapidly became a roaring inferno.

Exploding successful a immense fireball, the out-of-control occurrence engulfed the full bid and dwarfed horrified onlookers arsenic they hoped everyone had narrowly escaped.

Tragically, the bodies of six boys and 1 antheral were recovered wrong the burnt-out wreck of the ride, pictured below.

Among the victims were John Godson and his 2 children, Damien, six, and Craig, four, who were holidaying successful the area.

They had been excited to sojourn Luna Park connected what was expected to beryllium a amusive household time out.

Jenny Godson, John's woman and the boy's mum, took a photo, seen below, of her beloved sons with actors astatine the parkland - not realising it would beryllium the past representation ever snapped of them.

With 4 thrust tickets near they had earmarked them for the doomed Ghost Train.

Jenny, pictured below, made a past infinitesimal determination to get an crystal pick alternatively of joining her household connected the ride.

But arsenic she went to conscionable her beloved hubby and son, she was floored erstwhile she was alternatively confronted by a towering inferno.

Four schoolhouse students, Jonathan Billings, Richard Carroll, Michael Johnson and Seamus Rahilly - pictured beneath successful bid - besides failed to look from the partition of flames.

Friend Jason Holman was riding successful the car down them and was pulled retired moments earlier helium entered the tunnel.

He despaired erstwhile their cart arrived bare connected the different side.

The students, aged 12 to 13, and the Godson household had scrambled retired of their carriages successful a bid to escape.

But the confusing, maze-like operation of the passageway coupled with the heavy fume and flames would person made it incredibly hard for them to ever find their mode out.

Rescuers, seen below, initially thought everyone had been saved from the devastating blaze.

But 7 bodies were recovered wrong erstwhile the flames were yet contained.

Here, a fig marks wherever 1 of the bodies was tragically found.

Brothers Craig and Damien, pictured below, were among those recovered dead.

Police enactment the occurrence down to an electrical responsibility the adjacent time - but a coronial inquest aboriginal that twelvemonth was incapable to find the cause.

In the 45 years that person followed, the deficiency of clarity implicit what sparked the blaze has tortured victim's families and survivors.

Their anguish has been made worse by claims the deadly occurrence could person been started connected purpose.

Theories specified arsenic faulting wiring and a discarded cigaret person besides been floated.

Years later, an Australian MP is inactive warring for justness for the victims - and answers.

Investigations successful the aftermath of the catastrophe besides revealed Luna Park bosses had been told the thrust was a hazard but failed to act.

They had been warned to instal a sprinkler strategy wrong the thrust by the occurrence brigade successful 1977, who noted the risks of the train's woody tunnel.

A occurrence inspector said successful a report: "It [the tunnel] was a maze. It was timber, each painted black... arsenic a substance of information adjacent with the airy connected I was bumping into the partitions and the wall.

"It was a timber ceiling, I would person got mislaid adjacent with the lights on.

"The lone mode I could support going was to travel the railway track."

By 1979, parkland chiefs had not implemented occurrence protective measures and were fixed a 12 period deadline conscionable 4 weeks earlier the tragedy.

Coroner Kevin Sidney Anderson said that twelvemonth that Luna Park had failed successful its work of attraction to customers.

He said, however, their failings were not terrible capable "to enactment a complaint of transgression negligence".

One of the astir haunting theories of however the occurrence started is the assertion it was orchestrated by Sydney gangster Abe Saffron.

Nicknamed Mr Sin, the notorious transgression kingpin is alleged to person had his oculus connected the amusement park's onshore arsenic it was 1 of the astir premier spots connected Sydney's harbour.

It is claimed Saffron got distant with masterminding the blaze arsenic helium was successful cahoots with corrupt cops.

Two erstwhile elder constabulary officers, Steve Bullock and Paul Egge, testified connected camera to ABC that they believed Saffron ordered the crime.

They assertion it was swiftly covered up by shameful cops and authorities figures.

Witnesses astatine the clip described the odor of kerosine astatine the country and told of a radical of men who spoke astir mounting the thrust alight.

Whether the occurrence was started deliberately was not probed by constabulary astatine the time.

Following the blaze, Luna Park paid tribute to the victims successful a enactment seen below.

And children astatine the boys' schoolhouse laid flowers astatine the ceremonial astatine St Mary's Cathedral connected June 15, 1979.

45 years later, wherefore bash the families inactive person nary answers?

Dr Mallett believes arson is 1 of the astir apt causes of the blaze - and constabulary failings astatine the clip started the 45 twelvemonth mystery.

She said: "Evidence was not collected. 

"The witnesses stated they smelt kerosene, and others overheard the men who were acting suspiciously saying ‘I dispersed the kerosene out, and I lit it with a match.’ 

"If those statements had been followed up, the origin of the occurrence could person been confirmed, and the constabulary would person investigated the incidental arsenic a crime."

Dr Mallett said detectives were "very quick" to pin the occurrence connected an electrical responsibility - a determination that raised eyebrows and continues to.

She added: "As a result, the occurrence was not investigated arsenic arson.

"Many witnesses who came guardant were not contacted for statements. 

"Others assertion they were pressured to alteration their statements to region immoderate notation to the radical of men they saw acting suspiciously. 

"Given determination are a fig of witnesses, galore of whom person nary transportation to each other, telling akin stories surely raises superior questions astir the archetypal investigation.

"From the witnesser statements, who each picture a akin radical of men – the mode they were dressed, what they overheard them saying, adjacent down to details specified arsenic a tattoo connected 1 of their ears described arsenic a ‘light bluish star’ – and the odor of kerosene inevitably suggests the origin of the occurrence was so perchance arson."

In 2007, Saffron's niece Anne Buckingham told the Sydney Morning Herald that her uncle ordered the occurrence due to the fact that "he liked to cod things".

She added: "I don't deliberation radical were meant to beryllium killed."

Anne aboriginal retracted her connection and denied blaming the blaze connected her uncle.

But Dr Mallett believes it is not excessively precocious for the lawsuit to beryllium cracked arsenic determination is inactive clip to cod important evidence.

She said: "Many of the archetypal witnesses to the occurrence are inactive live and for those who person since died, their statements inactive exist.

"Those witnesses gave precise wide – and corroborating – accounts of a radical of men/teenagers behaving conspicuously astir the clip the occurrence broke out.

"Those men/teenagers person ne'er been tracked down. There’s inactive time.

"A $1 cardinal reward has been offered, and different witnesses whitethorn yet travel forward.

"A 2nd inquest, if 1 is called, could assistance elicit much accusation that could assistance the police.

"And with each eyes connected them pursuing the issues with the archetypal investigation, they volition beryllium highly motivated to bash everything by the book."

Here, past State Emergency Services Minister David Elliott shares much details astir the $1 cardinal reward successful 2021.

At the bosom of the catastrophe remains the families of the victims who person waited decades for closure.

Dr Mallett added: "I've worked with families of victims for years, and they ever privation to cognize answers to the aforesaid questions - what happened, why, and who is responsible.

"Families of deceased loved ones ne'er talk of closure, but learning the information astir their loved one's decease tin assistance bring immoderate resolution, to assistance them determination forward."