Five fire crews required to contain out-of-control blaze on Topaz Rd in North Johnstone

Specialist investigators have begun combing through the ashes of a Tablelands house and shed that were destroyed by fire on Tuesday afternoon.

Queensland Fire and Emergency crews are working to extinguish a structure fire on Topaz Rd in North Johnstone. Image: Google Maps

Fire investigators have begun pushing aside the ashes of a North Johnstone house to discover what caused the destructive blaze.

Emergency services were called to the inferno at the intersection of Heidke and Topaz roads about 11am on Tuesday to find a house engulfed in flame.

Five firefighting crews were required to subdue the out-of-control inferno, which ripped through the house’s structure all afternoon. The fire was brought under control about midday but crews were unable to access the interior and completely extinguish the flames until later that evening for fears of the ceiling caving in, a QFES spokeswoman said.

“There was a fair amount of structural collapse within the building,” the spokeswoman said.

“The old farm house was completely destroyed.

“We were able to move in and extinguish it at 5.50pm but we were worried about flare ups overnight.

“Fire investigators moved into the property at 9am today.”

It is understood that no owners or residents were at the property at the time of the fire and had since been accounted for.

A Queensland Police spokesman said police did not have reason yet to treat the blaze as suspicious.

“It’s listed as undetermined at this stage,” the spokesman said.

“We don’t know how it started because the property was unoccupied at the time.”

The blaze also spread to a neighbouring farm shed but it was saved from destruction.

The QFES spokeswoman said it is not yet known what caused the fire.

“It’s not being treated as suspicious,” she said.

“Working fire alarms alerted emergency services.”

Originally published as Five fire crews required to contain out-of-control blaze on Topaz Rd in North Johnstone