Long then remained in the area in the week before the attack. Long, who had expressed a hatred of backpackers, had also earlier threatened to burn down the hostel. Around midnight, prior to the fire, two guests saw Long in the back yard of the hostel. Long had asked them to leave the door open so he could assault his former roommate, an Indian national; when they declined, he stated he still had a key. Another guest recounted how he had woken up around then to find Long downstairs using a PC near a burning rubbish bin. After he sounded the alarm, Long then took it outside, and the guest went back to bed, but was awakened later to banging sounds, shouting, and thick black smoke. After the attack, Long’s movements were unclear. He was spotted in cane-fields five days later and was subsequently arrested in bush-land near Howard, less than from Childers. During the arrest, he stabbed a police dog after being bitten. He then stabbed one of the officers in the jaw and the second officer shot Long in the shoulder. In March 2002, Long was found guilty of two charges of murder (for the dead Australian twins) and arson and sentenced to life in prison. Although 15 died in the fire, Long had only been charged with two deaths in order to expedite the proceedings and to allow for other charges to be brought in the event of an acquittal. He lodged an appeal in 2002, which was denied; in June 2020 he became eligible for parole. In February 2021, the parole appeal was rejected although eligibility will recur in 1 year. Aftermath Many survivors were temporarily housed locally at the Isis Cultural Centre. Five Japanese nationals were also evacuated by embassy officials. Residents of Childers knitted blankets and donated food and backpacks for the survivors many of who had lost everything they had in the fire. Residents also invited survivors for meals and showers and local businesses assisted with food, clothing, and personal items. Media, politicians, and investigators came to the site as well and Princess Anne visited on 2 July to meet the surviving backpackers and others involved in the disaster. A coronial inquest was also held, and released its report in 2006. The hostel, a 98-year-old, two-story timber building, did not have working smoke detectors or fire alarms. It was later reported that the