A victim of a fatal cafe explosion in far north Queensland will be remembered as a “beautiful mother and wife”, a close friend says.

Mother-of-two Nicole Dempsey, 37, was one of 20 people injured when a utility ploughed into a gas bottle sparking an explosion at Serves You Right Cafe at Ravenshoe, south-west of Cairns, on Tuesday.

Ms Dempsey, which some media sites have identified her as Nicole Nyholt, was pronounced dead just before 5am on Friday, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) said.

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She had suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body.

Seven others remain in a critical condition at hospitals across the state.

Ms Dempsey’s close friend, Nicola Baker, said the tight-knit community had been rocked by Ms Dempsey’s death.

“She was a funny, kind and generous person who was my friend,” Ms Baker said.

Fire investigators assess Serves You Right Cafe in Ravenshoe. Photo: ABC

“She was a beautiful mother and a beautiful wife.”

Ms Baker said as soon as she heard about the incident she rushed to the cafe to find her friend and nursed her, while emergency crews worked amid the chaos around them.

“I went looking for her and I found her and I was with her for a good period,” she said.

Ms Baker said Ms Dempsey, who she had been friends with since childhood, was loved by all who knew her.

“I’m heartbroken,” she said.

“You can’t explain this kind of grief to someone who hasn’t been through something like this.”

Ms Dempsey, who ran a fudge shop, was the daughter of the cafe’s owners who were holidaying in Europe when the incident occurred.

Ms Baker said there were several donation campaigns set up for victims of the Ravenshoe incident – the state’s biggest ever burns disaster – and urged people to contribute.

Acting Queensland Premier Jackie Trad said the government’s thoughts were with Ms Dempsey’s family and those who remained in hospital.

“This was a young woman doing her job and it’s just a tragic freak accident,” Ms Trad told ABC radio.

“For all of those people throughout Queensland hospitals – our prayers and thoughts are with all of them.”

– with AAP