Accused Firebug's Cell Ablaze: Police

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday April 27, 1987

BRISBANE: A Vietnam War veteran charged with arson after four country churches were set alight on Friday night was back in court again yesterday following a fire in his Nambour watch-house cell.

Kenneth George Gosschalk, 43, was remanded until Tuesday next week on 10 arson charges and a further two of wilfully damaging a cell.

Inspector Reg Ashmore, of the Sunshine Coast police district, north of Brisbane, said Gosschalk's shirt and a small section of the padded doorway of his cell had been damaged in the fire at about 8.30 am.

Gosschalk was to have appeared in Nambour Magistrate's Court today, but his case was brought forward after the cell fire.

After yesterday's court appearance, Gosschalk was kept under close supervision in a padded cell before being taken to Brisbane Jail.

On Friday night, four Nambour churches, a bank, a bookshop, a hardware store and a hairdressing salon were gutted within minutes. Police estimated damage at several million dollars.

On Saturday, Gosschalk appeared in the Nambour Magistrate's Court on a number of counts of arson and wilful damage.

© 1987 Sydney Morning Herald

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