I am so confused and so sad. I live in Quakers Hill, NSW, Australia. On Friday morning we were woken by sirens, and a chopper hovering overhead. I opened my bedroom window, and looked upwards, only just seeing the chopper through the smoke - an arsonist had set alight a nursing home. The old people were lined up on the streets in their beds - so frail, so confused, so burnt.Why? Why? Why? I am finding it very difficult to forgive, but I know that vengeance is not mine. Today we had the memorial service for the deceased. RIP to our elderly friends. You deserved better. On the one hand such evil, but then I see the compassion and kindness of Cuties - like Meganne - where the life of a pet means so much. Such contrast in human traits. I remain confused. God Bless you all. Spend time with loved ones and tell them they are loved - we never know when or if we will see them again.

This certainly is something that is hard to get your head around. As a nurse myself and currently working in aged care I just don't get how a nurse could hurt even kill the people that they are supposed to care for. After working in mental health for 21 years I realised that there is no way to understand the actions of some people.

It just breaks my heart when old people, children and animals are treated in such an unhumane way. He might have a "sic" excuse for his evil deed , but I hope that he is punished in full force for for this. God never sleeps. His will be done. All my sympathy for the loss of lives and those poor oldies who now have no home anymore. God bless you all.****

What an awful thing to do.

Horrendous- what is this world coming to? It saddens me to hear of such acts against poor innocent and frail people :(

I don't understand people, I hope they find the person(s) responsible. My prayers to those left behind and everyones families.

It's unbelievable there are people who can make the world so miserable for othres. My prayers for all the victimes in the world. And in special for the the people of this nursing home.

I don't know what this world is coming to? I hear so many horrific stories. I don't remember such things in my younger years. I'm not sure if people are just sicker than years past or if the media, movies, and video games are desensitizing people??? I just don't get it???? My prayers to those who lost their lives and for the loved ones left behind.

My heart goes out to you & the nursing home residents and staff. It's so sad to think of someone purposely doing such a thing,
Prayers for you all.
Hugs,
Jacqueline

Olly, my prays and condolences to all those affected by this evil deranged person. I truly believe that there is unexplained evil in our world (Satan?) and only God can help us cope with and understand this senseless act. Hugs to you.

The cruelty is heartbreaking. In such events, it is hard for us to understand why someone would do something like this. Similar to the terrorist attacks we have experienced on 9-11 and before. Prayers and thoughts with the families and loved ones of the victims.

Hi Ollie my son also live in Quakers Hill, Austraalia, and he told us about the fire, and he was so angry about it. He said that the person who done this must be punished. Well this is not for us to point fingers, but there is limits. Think of all the old people and keep them in my prayers. Love Marie

omg what next :(:( very sick!!

So sad what caused the fire I will pray for all Lord help those people and the famileys .
I al ways say I love you because I never know when and if I will ever see them again.
LOve Lenamae

hugs and prayers, especially for the elderly in the nursing home

Dear Olly - I think this act of .. well, what can I call it??? ... has shocked us all and I feel deeply for the families who put their older family members into that nursing home. Their grief, or guilt, must be immense. I'm still waiting to hear why it wasn't 'appropriate' to have the place completely protected with a working sprinkler system. The firemen were heroes, working in thick, black smoke, but they were clearly traumatised at the scene. One elderly man, who was blind, was able to find his own way out, but the rest, left defenseless in their beds, must have been terrified beyond measure. My hope is that they are now being cared for by loving, kind and gentle people.
Vengeance is not ours to take but I do hope the law of our land deals appropriately with this man.
AlmaG.

God WILL take care of the evil person who did this, rest assured. He will not allow them to go unpunished! I have had family members in the nursing home and so pitifully few ever had anyone visit them, even when they had children living in the same town. This is so sad.

This person is evil, who knows what happened to him??? but taken the life of so many elderly people?? I am not God to judge him but he must be insane!!!! My sympathy for all the families involved in this tragic event.

This hurts so much even to read. How inhumane!Sorry but regardless of the why this should not have happened.My heart goes out to the community.

I will keep you in my prayers...

Heartwrenching to hear of such a thing-prayers for those affected by this tragedy...

This is so sad.

Trust in The Lord with all your heart . In all your ways acknowledge Him . He will give you rest .
Be of good cheer, HE has come to overcome the world .

1 comment

by anne55 23 Nov 2011

Amen!

I can't comprehend something like this....what would anyone get out of killing/injuring eldery people? Makes my heart heavy to know this...

so sad.

Here is a prayer for you and your community to find solace in the face of incredible loss. christine

thinking of you. xx

That is just so absolutely heart breaking. I hope justice is done even though it will not help the ones who have suffered the most.

1 comment

by olly 23 Nov 2011

Many are suffering in other ways - they have lost photos of their deceased partners, lost their walkers, their dentures, their spectacles. Nothing is the same for them anymore.

Such sad news. Why would any body do such a thing. So glad that they caught the person who started it.
Hope he get what he deserves. Hugs Yvonne

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by olly 23 Nov 2011

No - one knows the details of "why". He will appear in court tomorrow. He apparently had a grievance because he was "let go" by a previous employer, but at the moment this is heresay and one hears various stories.

This disgusting, murderous, deliberately lit fire, that has taken nine elderly lives, has got to be the most abhorrent act carried out by a fellow human being, that I have seen.
The frail, the elderly, the infirm, have been placed in care for their own welfare and to be so brutally murdered in their safe haven is not to be tolerated.
But yet the perpetrator will probably plead some sort of feeble defence and will just receive a reprimand.

By God's hand I hope he is punished in the way his victims died.

2 comments

by olly 23 Nov 2011

I agree. Thank goodness there are still some nice people out there who restore my faith in the human race. You are one of them.

by edithfarminer 23 Nov 2011

Well said Meganne, you have to Despair that a human being can do something like that. May justice be done and may the victems rest in Peace.

Sad, very very sad!!! Hope that it doesn't happen ever again. Hugs, Lidia

It is so sad as we have now lost 9 lives to this fire. The Quaker's Hill Anglican church held the memorial service today and it was heartbreaking. God bless all the families. Love and blessings Chris

Here I thought all of the loonies were in the USA. Apparently not!!! This is a sick side of human nature that is emerging. I wish you and the families of the victims, and the victims themselves the very best.

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by olly 23 Nov 2011

Humans never cease to amaze me - they can be so kind, and also so destructive.So far 3 perished at the scene, others in hospital and some are clinging to life. Nine have perished to date. I think there are loonies all over the globe.

This is so sad and it's terrible that someone would do this for no good reason. I hope they catch whoever did this and he is sent to prison. I will be praying for everyone.

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by olly 23 Nov 2011

The sad thing is that the law always seems to protect the criminals - and then his defense will come up with some ridiculous excuse. There is NO excuse for ANYONE to EVER do something like this. They already have this weirdo in custody. He was in the crowd pretending to care - he was one of the male nurses working there - can you believe it! He was even interviewed during the chaos and this "hero" was describing how he was "helping" the elderly.

This is just heart breaking. We will be praying for family and friends of those lost and also those still struggling to survive. I read the link posted about the fire, have they caught the person who did this?

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by pennifold 23 Nov 2011

Yes, it was one of the male nurses.

That is so sad my heart goes out to everyone. Some people in this world are so me and do not have a heart. What is this world coming to.

Found link to article about this fire and even though the fire was maliciously set it indicated there were no sprinkler system that could have saved lives. Will be praying for these elderly patients and their families.

1 comment

by olly 23 Nov 2011

There was no sprinkler system, but the alarms were connected to the fire station which is less than 500m away from the nursing home. Even with such quick response, the fire was too intense. The emergency teams were amazing. In this case, I do not think the sprinklers would have made that much difference. We will never know.

This has filled my eyes with tears. How can the human race be so cruel? There are no words to put this atrocity into perspective. Hugs for you. Sarah.