Toowoomba house fire: three children dead, mum under police guard
The mother of three children who died in a ‘suspicious’ house fire in Toowoomba has been identified.
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The mother of three children who died in a “suspicious” house fire in Toowoomba has been identified.
Ellouisa Brighton Gibson, 36, remains critically ill and under police guard in hospital after the fire at the Harristown home, which immediately claimed the life of a nine-year-old boy.
Two girls, aged 4 and 7, have since died at the Queensland Children’s Hospital from their injuries.
A 34-year-old man who was in the house was released from hospital on Wednesday. An 18-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy were also in the home.
Detective Superintendent George Marchesini confirmed the woman was the mother to all of the children. The man is the father of some of the children in the house.
Heroic neighbours helped the family out of the home after the fire ignited about 12.30 on Wednesday morning.
Superintendent Machesini said police had had interaction with the family, but would not go into further detail.
“It certainly wasn’t a premises that police were regularly attending.”
Supt Marchesini said the woman’s condition meant police had not been able to speak to her, but that they had reason to believe she would survive.
“Obviously we want to talk to all those persons that were present, we’ve already undertaken that with some of the people that were at the house and have obviously been released from hospital,” Supt Marchesini said.
“Part of our investigation is obviously talking to all people, that will include the 36-year-old woman.”
Supt Marchesini confirmed police had spoken to the man.
He said some family had travelled from interstate.
Supt Marchesini said the 11-year-old and 18-year-old went to the children’s hospital on Wednesday night before the seven-year-old and four-year-old girls died.
“They did attend the hospital last night while obviously life support was turned off for the two young girls,” Supt Marchesini said.
Supt Marchesini was asked if the woman had approached police concerning her mental health in the lead up to the fire.
“The statement I made earlier, about looking at all interaction and communication, that is something we are looking at,” he said.
“So at the moment we have some information we need to confirm, but it’s certainly not something that I could make further comment on at the moment.
“And it’s certainly not something - as I said earlier - that we’ve had regular contact with the mother.”
Supt Marchesini said the man and the 18-year-old helped get the children out of the house.
“And I believe the 36-year-old had escaped that house as well and was located towards the front of the premises, out of the front of the premises,” he said.
Supt Marchesini said it was a tragedy for the entire community.
“On behalf of the Queensland Police Service I would like at this time to extend our deepest sympathies to the families, friends and all those involved in this tragic event, that’s also including the community,” he said.
“I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of our first responders and emergency services, who were confronted with a horrific scene in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Premier David Crisafulli has assured the Toowoomba community that a full investigation would take place.
“It’s devastating. Toowoomba is a really tight-knit city, and that community will really be hurting this morning,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“We will do absolutely everything we can to wrap our arms around the community.”
He said immediate support had been provided through the education and housing departments, including counselling services and resources for staff, students and families at the school attended by the children.
Neighbours and community members left flower and teddy tributes to the family in the wake of the triple tragedy.
A neighbour said he rushed out of his house after hearing loud shouting and thought someone might be trying to break into his home.
The reality was much worse as he saw one of the children walk across the road, on fire.
“Her clothes were burning,” he said.
He took the girl into another house and put her in the bath to cool the burns while waiting for emergency services to arrive.
Another neighbour, Jenny, said a neighbour woke her before the emergency services arrived
“I could see from my bedroom window that the flames were as high as the fence,” she said.
“By the time I got out and across the road, the fire truck had arrived.”
Jenny has lived next to the family for several years but said she did not know them well.
“I didn’t know the children, but they used to call me nanna, they’d call out ‘hi nanna’,” she said.
Neighbours broke windows in an attempt to free the children from the home as they desperately tried to save the family.
Police have confirmed they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the fire.
Neighbour Will Cuffe ran to the home after he saw the fire.
“We were awake and heard some loud shouting, so we went to see what was happening and saw a lot of people out on the street,” he said.
“We heard the smoke alarms, then saw the smoke and flames.”
Mr Cuffe said he phoned triple-0 immediately but that there was little that could be done.
Several neighbours ran to the rear of the house to help the family, while Mr Cuffe went to the front door but the smoke was too thick.
Witnesses said the main part of the fire was at the front of the house.
“After we saw the smoke, it took about three minutes and the house just went up in flames,” Mr Cuffe said.
“We saw the mother, the father and some of the young kids. The mother was holding the kids and taking them to the ambulance.
“Two of the young kids were walking, but they were really badly burnt.”
It is understood at least one of the children attended Harristown State School.
A Queensland Education spokesman said the department offered its condolences.
“Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with all those affected by the devastating house fire in Toowoomba,” he said.
“We understand this tragic event will impact many people throughout the community and support is being provided to students and staff in the area, with guidance counsellors available for as long as needed.”
One neighbour said the family moved into the street recently.
“They were just a regular family,” he said.
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