By DENNIS AMOR

THE owner of a Queensland caravan park has praised a guest for saving the lives of her family when fire broke out in the early hours.

Mr and Mrs Klijn with daughters Okki and Jette

"But for her swift action we could have all died," Cania Gorge Tourist Retreat boss Margaret Klijn told Caravanning News.

She and her family were asleep when a woman on her way to the toilet at about 1am spotted flames in the family's residence at the four-star Top Tourist park near Monto.

The horrified caravanner frantically hammered on a bedroom window as the fire quickly took hold of the residence and adjoining shop.

Margaret, husband Gerard and their two daughters aged 7 and 9 scrambled to safety but were unable to call emergency services because their phone lines had been burned through and there is no mobile reception in the area.

The distraught Gerard jumped into his car and drove about 6km to a ranger's office to raise the alarm.

Meanwhile, quick thinking guests grabbed hoses and filled buckets from the park's swimming pool in a bid to tackle the inferno but they could not save the building.

"It was well alight and the roof had already collapsed when we arrived," Monto fire chief Roger Stubbs told Caravanning News. "There was a fair gap to the caravans and cabins so everyone in the park was safe."

Because there was no reticulated water supply, firemen had to pump water from the park's swimming pool. Fire crews from Monto and Moonford spent several hours damping down and police scientific officers were called to examine the scene.

"We are very grateful to everyone who helped but the whole building was gone in about half an hour," Margaret said.

"People were very good. They used fire extinguishers and all the hoses available trying to keep the walls wet but there was little they could do. It was a good thing the lady had to go to the toilet and saw the first flames."

Margaret said arrangements were being made to have a demountable building delivered to the park.

She and her family migrated from the Netherlands in 2005 and took over the 34-site tourist park in 2006.

"Despite rumours that we were out of business, we did not have to close the park at all and we are back on track," Margaret added.

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