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ABC News
ABC News
National
By Angel Parsons and staff

Man found dead after shipping container explosion at Mackay business

Police are investigating what caused the explosion at the container business.

A 30-year-old man has been found dead after a shipping container explosion at a commercial area in north Queensland overnight.

Emergency services were called to a blaze at Malcomson Street in North Mackay, where the man was found just before 2am.

It's unknown what caused the explosion but police said the shipping container was located at a trailer and container business.

Police have established a crime scene, and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service is also investigating.

Mackay Fire Station Officer Matt Geiger said there were several reports of the explosion called in to emergency services.

"I believe multiple triple-0 calls of an explosion in the area. The shipping container that was on fire was deformed to some extent, indicating that there was some pressure exertion or explosion from within the container," Mr Geiger said.

"There were three appliances dispatched for that fire and on arrival, we forced entry into a trailer facility business and we could see that there was a shipping container well alight at the back of the facility.

"Unfortunately there was a deceased casualty in the vicinity.

"There's still a bit of work to do as to how that came about and how the casualty ended up in that area at the time of the fire and explosion, so I'm sure we'll find out more through the day and as those investigations continue."

Mr Geiger said there was no damage to either of the neighbouring properties.

"It was a number of shipping containers up the back of a trailer and storage facility and there were a couple of exposures either side of the particular shipping container the fire and explosion happened in, but no other structures were threatened or came under direct contact from the fire," he said.

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