The fire set by Robert Paul Long in June 2000 killed 15 people and continues to shape the survivors’ lives

“We were all young and free and innocent,” recalls Minoeska Teeuwen of the backpackers she met in the tiny farming town of Childers, Queensland, half a lifetime ago.

Most of them were teenagers or barely older, travelling outback Australia seeking adventure and experience. But then the Childers Palace backpackers hostel was set alight in the early hours of 23 June 2000.

Trembling towards the edge I looked back and there was an explosion. Nobody else came out after me

Twins Stacey Louise and Kelly June Slarke, 22, Australia

Sarah Anne Williams, 23, England

Michael Ernest Lewis, 25, England

Clare Louise Webb, 24, England

Natalie Morris, 18, England

Gary John Sutton, 24, England

Melissa Jane Smith, 26, England

Adam John Rowland, 19, England

Joly Van Der Velden, 23, Holland

Sebastian Westerveld, 22, Holland

Julie O’Keefe, 24, Ireland

Atsuski Toyona, 31, Japan

Moulay Lahcen Lalaoui-Kamal, 48, Morocco

Hui-Kyong Lee, 23, South Korea