Five people have been hospitalised — one with life-threatening burns — after a forklift caught fire at a commercial site in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs on Friday morning.

The forklift ignited at a business on Anton Road, Hemmant, at approximately 11am on 4 September 2026, with firefighters from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services rapidly deployed to contain the blaze.

One patient suffered life-threatening burns to the chest, head and face and was transported to hospital in a critical condition. A second patient sustained serious burns to their arms, while three others were treated for smoke inhalation. All five were taken to hospital.

Firefighters worked to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby shipping containers at the commercial site, with aerial footage showing significant black smoke billowing over the area.

The incident has prompted questions about the safe operation and maintenance of forklifts in warehousing and logistics environments. Forklift fires can result from fuel system failures, overheating batteries, electrical faults or the accumulation of flammable debris near hot engine components. Workplace health and safety regulators require operators to conduct pre-shift inspections and maintain plant in safe working order under the relevant jurisdiction’s safety legislation.

At the time of reporting, the cause of the fire had not been officially determined. It is understood that the relevant WHS regulator has been notified, as required when a serious incident results in hospitalisation.