Mystery of ‘Ghost Train’ blaze where 6 boys & dad burned alive trapped in maze – & clue ignored by cops could crack case

Numerous thrill-seekers flocked to board the notorious ghost train, Luna Park’s main attraction, on a normally mild June evening.

However, smoke puffs began to appear as carts filled with eager children and families rolled into its dim, maze-like tunnel.

In an instant, the ride was enveloped in towering flames as yelling riders desperately attempted to flee.

The fire grew fiercely, trapping six boys and a man within the tunnel, which was encircled by dense clouds of smoke and a wall of flames.

The bodies of four school companions, their father John, and infant brothers Craig and Damien Godson were discovered inside the burned-out wreckage at the Sydney, Australia, park.

Their loved ones, who still don’t know what caused the June 9, 1979, calamity, had to endure more than 40 years of suffering.

According to an Australian documentary, the probe had numerous flaws.

Abe Saffron, a well-known organized crime figure who went by the moniker “Mr. Sin,” has long been connected to the catastrophe.

The criminal allegedly had his sights on the premium property parcel and was responsible for a conspiracy to set fire to the park.

According to experts, if the investigation had been conducted correctly at the time, police might have discovered the cause of the fire.

Here’s the whole tale.

The terrible Ghost Train fire at Australia’s Luna Park has remained a mystery for forty-five years.

As a result, the families of the victims are continually tormented by conspiracy ideas about arson and cover-ups.

It has been alleged that police did not adequately look into what caused the horror theme park fire.

Witness testimony were never obtained, and important hints that would have solved the case were never investigated.

There are “serious questions” regarding the initial inquiry, according to Dr. Xanth Mallet, an associate professor of criminology at the University of Newcastle in Australia, who spoke to The Sun.

Shady characters like Mr Sin were drawn to the theme park’s prominent Sydney waterfront location.

Since the regular attendant wasn’t there, the smoke odor that came from the ride on the tragic night of June 9, 1979, was first written off as one of the side effects.

As piercing cries reverberated around the park, thick black smoke began to flow from the entrance at approximately 10.15 p.m., prompting an emergency evacuation.

Before their cars entered the dark tunnel, terrified passengers were hurriedly escorted out of carriages; others were hauled out as soon as they got out.

As a fire that began deep within the ride swiftly grew into a roaring inferno, terrified passengers in the black labyrinth frantically kicked down partition walls.

Engulfing the entire train, the out-of-control fire exploded in a massive blaze, dwarfing the startled witnesses who prayed everyone had barely survived.

Sadly, the burnt-out wreck of the ride, shown below, included the bodies of six boys and one man.

John Godson and his two children, Craig, 4, and Damien, 6, were among the victims while on vacation in the area.

On what was expected to be an enjoyable family outing, they had been looking forward to going to Luna Park.

Unaware that it would be the final picture taken of them, Jenny Godson, John’s wife and the boy’s mother, shot the picture below of her cherished sons with actors at the park.

They had reserved the remaining four ride tickets on the dreaded Ghost Train.

Jenny, who is shown below, decided at the last minute to get an ice cream instead of going on the ride with her family.

But when she arrived to greet her cherished husband and son, she was shocked to see a soaring conflagration in her place.

Jonathan Billings, Richard Carroll, Michael Johnson, and Seamus Rahilly, the four schoolchildren shown below in order, were also unable to escape the wall of flames.

Just before he reached the tunnel, friend Jason Holman, who was in the car behind them, was dragged out.

When their wagon came empty on the other side, he gave up.

In an attempt to flee, the Godson family and the twelve to thirteen-year-old students had clambered out of their carriages.

However, it would have been extremely difficult for them to ever find their way out of the tunnel due to its complicated, maze-like structure, as well as the intense smoke and flames.

At first, rescuers, who can be seen below, believed that everyone had been spared from the terrible fire.

When the fire was finally extinguished, however, seven bodies were discovered inside.

The unfortunate location of one of the bodies is indicated by a number here.

Among those discovered dead were brothers Craig and Damien, shown below.

The following day, police blamed the incident on an electrical malfunction; however, a coroner’s inquiry later that year failed to identify the reason.

The inability to determine what caused the fire has tormented survivors and the families of the victims for the past forty-five years.

Claims that the horrific fire may have been intentionally ignited have added to their suffering.

Other theories that have been put forth include faulty wiring and a cigarette that was thrown away.

An Australian Member of Parliament continues to battle for answers and justice for the victims years later.

Luna Park managers were informed that the ride was dangerous, but they did nothing about it, according to investigations conducted after the accident.

In 1977, the fire department had cautioned them about the dangers of the train’s wooden tunnel and advised them to build a sprinkler system inside the attraction.

In a report, a fire inspector stated: “The tunnel was a maze. It was all black-painted timber, and even with the light on, I kept slamming into the wall and the walls.

Even with the lights on, I would have been lost because of the timber ceiling.

“The only way I could keep going was to follow the railway track.”

Four weeks prior to the catastrophe, park chiefs were given a 12-month deadline to improve fire safety measures, but they had not done so by 1979.

That year, Coroner Kevin Sidney Anderson declared that Luna Park had not fulfilled its duty of care to patrons.

However, he claimed that their shortcomings were not serious enough “to support a charge of criminal negligence”.

The idea that Sydney criminal Abe Saffron was responsible for starting the fire is among the most unsettling possibilities.

The infamous crime lord, known by his nickname Mr. Sin, is said to have had his eye on the amusement park’s property since it was one of the most desirable locations on Sydney’s harbor.

Saffron allegedly got away with orchestrating the fire because he was working with dishonest police officers.

Steve Bullock and Paul Egge, two former senior police officers, told ABC on camera that they thought Saffron gave the order.

They say that dishonorable police officers and government officials quickly covered it up.

Witnesses at the time reported a group of males discussing setting the ride on fire, as well as the kerosine odor at the scene.

Police at the time did not investigate if the fire was intentionally ignited.

Luna Park honored the victims of the fire in the note that can be seen below.

On June 15, 1979, pupils from the boys’ school placed flowers at the funeral held at St. Mary’s Cathedral.

45 years later, why do the families still have no answers?

Dr Mallett believes arson is one of the most likely causes of the blaze – and police failings at the time started the 45 year mystery.

“No evidence was gathered,” she stated.

“The witnesses stated they smelt kerosene, and others overheard the men who were acting suspiciously saying I spread the kerosene out, and I lit it with a match.

“If those statements had been followed up, the cause of the fire could have been confirmed, and the police would have investigated the incident as a crime.”

Dr Mallett said detectives were “very quick” to pin the fire on an electrical fault – a move that raised eyebrows and continues to.

She added: “As a result, the fire was not investigated as arson.

“Many witnesses who came forward were not contacted for statements.

“Others claim they were pressured to change their statements to remove any reference to the group of men they saw acting suspiciously.

“Given there are a number of witnesses, many of whom have no connection to each other, telling similar stories certainly raises serious questions about the original investigation.

“From the witness statements, who all describe a similar group of men the way they were dressed, what they overheard them saying, even down to details such as a tattoo on one of their ears described as a light blue star and the smell of kerosene inevitably suggests the cause of the fire was indeed potentially arson.”

In 2007, Saffron’s niece Anne Buckingham told the Sydney Morning Herald that her uncle ordered the fire because “he liked to collect things”.

She added: “I don’t think people were meant to be killed.”

Anne later retracted her statement and denied blaming the blaze on her uncle.

But Dr Mallett believes it is not too late for the case to be cracked as there is still time to collect important evidence.

She said: “Many of the original witnesses to the fire are still alive and for those who have since died, their statements still exist.

“Those witnesses gave very clear and corroborating accounts of a group of men/teenagers behaving conspicuously around the time the fire broke out.

“Those men/teenagers have never been tracked down. There s still time.

“A $1 million reward has been offered, and other witnesses may yet come forward.

“A second inquest, if one is called, could help elicit more information that could assist the police.

“And with all eyes on them following the issues with the original investigation, they will be highly motivated to do everything by the book.”

Here, then State Emergency Services Minister David Elliott shares more details about the $1 million reward in 2021.

At the heart of the disaster remains the families of the victims who have waited decades for closure.

Dr Mallett added: “I’ve worked with families of victims for years, and they always want to know answers to the same questions – what happened, why, and who is responsible.

“Families of deceased loved ones never speak of closure, but learning the truth about their loved one’s death can help bring some resolution, to help them move forward.”

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