A man who helped rescue people with severe burns after a horrific explosion in far north Queensland says he doesn't want individual recognition, as eight patients fight for life in hospital.
A total of 21 people suffered varying injuries when an out-of-control utility slammed into the Serves You Right Cafe at Ravenshoe, southwest of Cairns, on Tuesday afternoon.
The collision caused large gas bottles to explode, gutting the business and leaving customers scrambling to help.
Eric Balodis ran back into the smouldering building to retrieve victims.
"I found a lady on my left who was screaming out," he told the Nine Network on Thursday.
"Most of her clothes were either burnt off or blown off."
Mr Balodis had to navigate debris as he helped pull to safety one woman, believed to be the 37-year-old daughter of the cafe's owners.
"A lot of the accolades should actually go to the community because everybody pitched in," he said.
Eight people remain in a critical condition - six were in an induced coma at the burns unit of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) on Thursday afternoon.
Two others were also due to be transferred there from hospitals in the state's far north.
The 60-year-old driver of the car is being treated in Cairns as an investigation continues into whether he suffered a medical condition behind the wheel.
Queensland's chief health officer said the RBWH burns unit was well resourced to deal with the complex injuries.
"In some cases, they're very extensive - so over 80 per cent burns," Dr Jeannette Young said.
"The treatment of these people will be going on for months, if not years."
Some other southeast Queensland hospitals would be asked to take more of the intensive care load but the authorities would not need to ask for help from other states, Dr Young said.
Ravenshoe Chamber of Commerce member Ken Jack said the community was still reeling from the incident.
"If you didn't know someone in the cafe, you were someone who was helping someone in the street," Mr Jack told AAP.
"We still don't have the list of who was injured, but everyone is totally affected because they helped or know someone involved."
Witnesses have described distressing scene after the blast.
"All of a sudden I saw people running outside, all ... skin peeling off them," Guy Sagaukas told Nine.
"It was really horrifying."
The cafe's owners were reportedly due to return to Australia from a European holiday on Thursday evening.
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