Stratford house fire: Blaze destroys property on Johnston St, near Cairns Airport

Detectives have launched an investigation into the cause of a fire that completely destroyed a house and claimed the life of a beloved pet. See the video.

Detectives are investigating a fire that destroyed a home in the Cairns suburb of Stratford and killed a pet dog on Monday morning.

One male occupant was able to exit the building safely but his pet dog perished in the blaze.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services battled against the inferno through the early hours of the morning as flames took hold of a house on Johnston St.

Firefighters were called to the property about 2am.

Emergency services were called to a house fire in Stratford in the early hours of Monday, July 3. Picture: Queensland Police

Neighbours who were evacuated recalled the frightening scene.

“We woke up to the fire alarms and called triple-zero,” next door neighbour Nattarika Kamhongsa said.

“We could hear the dog screaming, it was horrible.

“We evacuated and waited on the street and it took them quite a while to get the fire under control.”

Other neighbours said they were woken by a loud bang only to discover the building fully engulfed in flames.

The scene of a large house fire which destroyed a residence on Johnston Street, Stratford, early Monday morning. Picture: Brendan Radke

“It was pretty bad, we woke up to a large bang,” Ally Chadburn said.

“It was very sad, I can still hear the dog in my head now.

“The whole house was already lit up and we were evacuated because they were worried about explosions from cars parked underneath and near the building.”

A pet dog has died in a fire that destroyed a house in Stratford on Monday morning. Picture: Nang93

A Public Safety Preservation Act declaration was made with residents from neighbouring properties evacuated until about 4.30am.

A QFES spokeswoman confirmed five pump crews and one specialty rescue crew attended the scene.

“The fire was well involved on arrival,” the spokeswoman said.

“It took around an hour of work to protect the surrounding buildings and crews did not leave the scene until around 6.30am this morning.”

The house was located on Johnston St and the fire broke out at about 2am. Picture: Nattarika Kamhongsa.

Road blocks were set up and surrounding houses on Johnston and Tully streets were evacuated.

“The building also collapsed, however there was no one within the structure and there were no injuries,” the spokeswoman said.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesman confirmed paramedics attended the scene.

“Paramedics attended a house fire on Johnston Street at 2.08am,” she said.

The scene of a large house fire which destroyed a residence on Johnston Street, Stratford, early Monday morning. Picture: Brendan Radke

A 27-year-old man, who was an occupant of the building, was treated at the scene for shock.

Fire scene examiners from QFES and Queensland Police will continue investigations today. Anyone with information is urged to contact police.

The blaze follows the complete destruction of the nearby Croft Auto building on Sheridan St in May 2022, after it also caught fire.

Originally published as Stratford house fire: Blaze destroys property on Johnston St, near Cairns Airport