CCTV Footage of Cairns Cafe Explosion That Killed Mum of Two

Mother-of-two Nicole Dempsey has died in hospital after a truck driver plowed into gas bottles behind a her parents' cafe in Cairns, triggering an explosion on Tuesday.

Nicole's parents were able to return from overseas to say goodbye to their daughter, 7News reports. Nineteen other people were also injured in the explosion, and eight remain in a critical condition – several with burns to up to 80% of their bodies.

The explosion occured after Brian Scutt's car drove into the back of the shop. Investigators suspect he may have suffered a heart attack at the wheel. Mr Scutt remains in an induced coma with burns to his face and hands, his back broken in two places.

CCTV footage captured the moment customers were blasted off their feet when three cylinders at the cafe exploded. At least one man's clothes melted to his back and a woman can be see peeling charred remains from his body.

WARNING: Some readers will find the footage in this news report disturbing.

"This has been a major trauma in this community," said Wayne Jensen of Old Mental Health Services, who said he expected emergency responders to require post-traumatic counselling.