The Luna Park Ghost Train Incident, 1979

*DISCLAIMER - The following incident contains the mention of deceased persons and showcases photographs from the horrific incident of the collapsed structure, reader discretion is advised.

On the evening of Saturday 9 June 1979, a disastrous fire occurred at Luna Park, which tragically took the lives of seven people.

Aerial view of the Ghost Train Fire, Luna Park, Saturday 9 June 1979 [Museum of Fire Collection]

At 10:14pm Headquarters Control received the first call to a fire burning in the Ghost Train ride at Luna Park. Crews from Crows Nest and Neutral Bay were first to arrive on the scene where they witnessed thick columns of smoke reaching 100 meters high coming from the Ghost Train. On arrival it took crews longer than expected to reach the fire as there was only a single road in and out of Luna Park, making it difficult for crews to enter the Park against the sea of people evacuating. Once the crews had a better understanding of the situation they called for more assistance from firefighters and ambulances as there was a probability of causalities.

Firefighters discovered the inside of the building was consumed by fire, so they quickly got to work using lines of hose at the front of the building, along with two turntable ladders positioned at the edges of the building acting as water towers. More stations were called in to assist to draft water from the harbour to the turntable ladders, along with Headquarters’ (now City of Sydney) Breathing Apparatus Van to supply additional equipment.

Firefighters were concerned that the fire would spread to the Big Dipper overhead and the adjoining River

Caves, which did occur but luckily water was able to quickly be put onto the fire from the aerial appliances above, and the appliances on the ground, extinguishing this outbreak.

Luna Park Ghost Train Fire showcasing the aftermath, Saturday 9 June 1979 [Museum of Fire Collection]

Unfortunately, due to the intense heat and flames within the Ghost Train, firefighters were unable to gain entry to attack the fire and conduct a search. The highly combustible materials used in the construction of the Ghost Train and the absence of a sprinkler system also made it difficult for firefighters to save any of the structures, which collapsed in showers of sparks, smoke, and burning debris. At 11:17pm, just over an hour after the initial reports, the stop message was sent while crews continued to cool down the mass of hot metal and smouldering timbers. It wasn’t until after this that they could begin searching for victims. It took crews over six hours to carefully remove the debris and recover the bodies of seven victims, one adult and six children; John Godson, Damien Godson, Craig Godson, Richard Carroll, Michael Johnson, Jonathan Billings, and Seamus Rahilly. In total eight brigades attended the fire which included; Crows Nest, Neutral Bay, The Rocks, Lane Cove, Mosman, Headquarters, Willoughby, and Pyrmont.

While a wiring fault or arson were both suspected, the exact cause of the fire could not be determined by the Coronal Inquiry. The fire forced the closure of Luna Park until 1982, when it reopened under new owners.

-Story written by the Museum of Fire Heritage Team