The Car Park Explosion No One Reported On

03 February 2026

TL;DR: Around midday on Saturday, 31 January, a small, contained explosion occurred in a vehicle at the Coopers Plains Library car park, injuring its owner - a man in his late 50s -with investigators finding nothing suspicious after more than six hours of testing.

Image taken by me on said date.

****Disclaimer:

This is my first hand account of what occurred on Saturday, 31 January 2026.

This post has been made to:

• raise awareness of mental health and how it affects us all - even vicariously when we might not know the person. We’re all going through something, in one way or another; therefore, I’ve provided links below for support services. Please reach out if you, a loved one, or someone you may know needs support/help;

• answer anyone’s questions — especially those who came up to the library doors and possibly wondered why it was closed earlier than scheduled; &...

• address the fact that I still haven’t seen any reports of what occurred, and it’s three days after the incident.

I initially (almost) wasn’t going to say anything; however, I am a former journalist and now a writer. Therefore, I’m considering this a freelance piece conducted surreptitiously, as I did not disclose my journalistic background, or my intent to disclose what occurred that day, to the police officers around me.

Because of that, I’ll quote brief phrases I heard, overheard, and/or was told, with no names attached or provided.

Please message me if you want to use any information in this blog.****

Preface:

I’m only going to state the facts, as I’m familiar with the individual involved in this situation. I want to respect his privacy and what he’s currently going through. I won’t reveal names or personal details after the fact.

The Situation:

And how I saw this play out.

Just after 1:00pm, an ambulance was flagged down out the front of the library on Orange Grove Road by a man who then escorted one of the paramedics into the building, while the other paramedic brought a stretcher in. Soon after, two more ambulance vehicles with two sets of paramedics arrived - all parking just before the bus stop - before two police vehicles with two sets of police officers joined them.

Shortly after, a librarian jumped into the first ambulance with one of the paramedics, and they drove off.

From the opening hours of 9am that day, I was seated near a gentleman - two down from me - with whom I’m familiar, as I see him in some libraries sometimes. After midday, though, I’d realised he’d not returned to his seat (which was not odd, as I’ve previously seen him go out and get lunch or food, which was an assumption I made). So when, between 1pm and 2pm, the gentleman had still not returned, I was surprised to see a librarian collect his belongings before taking them into a back room.

During this, a rather unpleasant yet specific scent seeped into the library - one you’d all know and never want to smell (and one which alone would cause the premises to be evacuated due to it being a biohazard) - before the siren of another emergency vehicle sounded, yet this one, I did not see.

Just after 2pm, I went to use the toilet and I saw the gentleman who had been seated near me was now unclothed, surrounded by a few people, and being wrapped in a papery blanket outside on the verandah. And when I moved into the foyer, I saw the fire brigade was now outside in the Coopers Plains Library Playground car park, near where the ambulance (that had been out the front before) was now positioned close by.

After the brief relief, I came out to see the man no longer on the verandah, with the only person present being a single paramedic, wiping down a large wet patch on the verandah. At the same time, another librarian brought the A-framed noticeboard of upcoming events back inside the building, stating the library would be closing, as I refilled my water bottle at the bubbler beside this all.

And by 2:11pm, we (the library members) were evacuated from the premises (I know this specific time because I checked my watch, as this library usually closes at 4pm on a Saturday). Many of us then moved outside and took the available seats at the tables on the verandah, whilst I sat on the bench out the front, facing Orange Grove Road, and finished my own work for that day.

Just after 4pm, the library staff left the premises, and soon after, I completed my personal work. But as I went to leave, however, the police had cordoned off the car park where my vehicle was and told me my car was in proximity (one spot over) to the vehicle in question - which now had all six access points open due, what I was told to be, “a small fire” that took place inside.

So, I decided to return to the front bench I’d just come from, and as I did, the police decided to move the people on the verandah to the front as well, as they were unsure how far the “testing” might go, before they cordoned off the entire front section of the building for the bomb squad, who arrived soon after due to “two suspicious white containers” that were found in the man’s vehicle, and some “substance” there.

After six hours of waiting, I overheard that the gentleman had only suffered superficial burns and that nothing else appeared on his other scans. Though police did want to speak with him on the matter, and more than a few police officers, as well as a librarian, noted concerns regarding the man’s mental health - due to the situation that transpired.

It was then that I asked my first - and only - question to the police officer who sat out the front with me: if something like this had ever happened before, to which he replied [paraphrased] that he’d never seen anything like this, and that it was “the strangest thing he’s seen in Brisbane” (that part I’ve quoted, as it’s stuck with me - and it was at the moment that my former-journalist brain kicked in. I almost wanted to start this post then and there, but I also wanted to go home as it was approaching 9pm). So I withheld, until now.

The police officer who said this had been stationed out the front with me almost the entire time. He moved people along, who were either sticky-beaking - due to the cordoned-off areas, or questioning the unusually high number of emergency service vehicles in and around the place. One resident was curious to see if it was because of vagrants who had once frequented here, and who were sometimes known to be loud and unruly; yet they were no longer there, as I myself hadn’t seen them since December. The rest of the folks who came through were wanting to use the thoroughfare beside the building - used as a shortcut to access the homes just past the library playground - but were redirected from there. (I’ll also note here that all the police officers who were there were great, firm, yet fair, and also cordial, despite one resident’s opinion.)

By 10:41pm, the police had removed their tape, and I regained access to my vehicle, where the man’s car was still parked near mine. Upon approach, I saw no visible signs on the outside of what happened inside (though, I should note: I only checked the right-hand side, which faced me; I didn’t check the other side, as I didn’t want to).

Days Later:

Now, after a processing this situation, it was an odd occurrence - one which I thought someone would’ve reported by now; however, there’s been no news about it. So, here it is: the moment established in time in this recording here.

What Matters:

At the end of the day, however, I do hope the gentleman is okay and that he gets the help he needs!

And for anyone else who might be struggling - or have a loved one they're concerned about, or someone you may know - here are some service providers:

Mental Health Services:

Links copied from:https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/emergency-help/

Emergency SupportIf your life is in danger, call emergency services:

• Emergency Australia – 000

• Emergency New Zealand – 111

Counselling (24/7)

If you need support, call one of the following numbers:

• Lifeline Australia | 13 11 14

• Lifeline New Zealand | 0800 543 354

• Kids Helpline | 1800 55 1800

• MensLine Australia | 1300 78 99 78

• Suicide Call Back Service | 1300 659 467

• Beyond Blue | 1300 22 4636

• Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling | 1800 011 046

• QLife – anonymous and free LGBTI peer support | 1800 184 527 (3pm–Midnight every day)

• Thirrili 24/7 | 1800 805 801

• Brother to Brother 24-hour crisis line | 1800 435 799

Crisis Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

A free and confidential service run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people:

• 13Yarn | 13 92 76

Thanks for coming to my blog. Take care everyone, Joel Barkus.