Clayfield house fire that killed boy, 6, may have been caused by battery charging

The family of Max Chirila, 6, who was tragically killed in a Clayfield house fire has spoken publicly for the first time as a likely cause of the blaze emerges.

The family of a young boy who died when a ferocious blaze tore through his family home in Brisbane’s north has spoken publicly for the first time.

While his mother, father and four-year-old brother escaped, Max Chirila, 6, tragically did not survive the accidental fire that ripped through the Clayfield Queenslander about 4am yesterday.

Max’s grandfather Paul Chirila inspected the home with another relative this morning where he told The Courier-Mail the family was feeling “very, very bad”.

Max Chirila's grandfather Paul Chirila outside the Clayfield home where his grandson died in a house fire.

He thanked the community for the outpouring of support, but an emotional Mr Chirila said “it cannot recover the boy, a boy like ours”.

Mr Chirila took a moment to compose himself before leaving.

Max’s parents Karen and Ovidiu Chirila were also at the scene this morning where floral tributes have been left.

Floral tributes left outside the Clayfield home where Max Chirila died in a fire on Monday morning. Picture: Taylah Fellows

Mr Chirila sat on the pavement sobbing, clutching a school hat with a note attached that read, “Hope you sleep well in heaven Max”.

The couple requested privacy as they grieved.

A man and a woman who said they were relatives of the Chirila family drove by the home to pay their respects late on Tuesday morning.

A woman wearing a yellow dress emerged from the car and placed matching yellow flowers into the family’s letterbox.

She wept into a tissue and cried out toward the house, “I will never forget you Maxie. I’m so sorry Max”.

A woman who said she is a relative of the Chirila family paid her respects with flowers at the scene of the house fire late on Tuesday morning. Picture: Taylah Fellows

Neighbours could be seen wiping away tears as they passed by the devastated home while on their morning walk.

The body of the schoolboy – who was just weeks away from celebrating his ­seventh birthday – was found in a bedroom at the back of the property after the fire was extinguished.

Mr and Mrs Chirila were yesterday being comforted at the scene by emergency workers, while another distressed relative could be seen screaming, “Maxie, Maxie my boy.”

Max was due to start Term 2 at Ascot State School on Tuesday.

The school issued a statement saying the community was “deeply shocked and saddened” by Max’s tragic death and was providing support to staff and students, and offered support to anyone who would need additional care.

“The community’s thoughts and sincere sympathies go out to his family, friends and

loved ones during this difficult time,” a spokesperson for the Department of Education said.

“Support is being provided to students and staff, and guidance counsellors are at the

school to provide support in any way they can and for as long as it is needed.”

A relative of the Chirila family arrived at the scene of the tragic fatal house fire late on Tuesday morning to leave yellow flowers. Picture: Taylah Fellows

QFES investigators inspected the Chirila family home for more than an hour on Tuesday.

Several items, none of which are more significant than the others, will need to be assessed as part of the investigation into the cause of the fire.

Authorities were unclear how the fire started, however The Courier-Mail understands there are investigations into a possible electrical fault related to charging batteries.

The Electrical Safety Office will also conduct its own separate investigation.

Several Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, including a fire truck and multiple forensic cars, returned to the scene about 1.30pm on Tuesday. QFES officers poured out of the vehicles and into the property’s backyard where they used a drone to examine the site.

A Facebook image of house fire victim Max Chirila, 6

The fire broke out in the Barlow St home just before 4am, with distressed residents detailing how they woke to find the home fully engulfed and hearing “deafening screams”.

“It was like a roar coming from the back of the house,” one neighbour told The Courier-Mail.

“It was 20 feet (6m) above the roof, like blasting up in the air.

“The street was full of people, even people from the next street over, so that’s how much noise it was making.”

Another neighbour described the noise as the loudest explosion he had ever heard.

“We are friends with the people two streets away and the roar woke them and myself and by the time I’d come downstairs they had already made it onto our street,” he said.

“It made the house shake.”

The family visits the scene of the house fire. Picture: Liam Kidston

Five firefighting crews arrived shortly after the blaze started, but were unable to get into the burning house due to the intensity of the flames and after the roof partially collapsed.

Acting Superintendent Mark ­Halverson said firefighters did everything they could to reach the boy, ­despite being “confronted with a ­devastating scene”.

“Flames were licking through the front window and out the front door,” Mr Halverson said.

“The fireys’ absolute first priority was not to even consider their own lives at that stage … but do their very best to make entry and into the back bedroom, but the fire was so intense it was impossible at that point.

“The crews did a fantastic job to make initial entry and then the ceiling and the walls were beginning to fall down around them so they were unable to progress any further without knocking down the fire.”

Investigators at the gutted Clayfield Queenslander

Queensland ambulance confirmed that Max’s father, who was in a wheelchair following a ­scooter accident weeks ago, was treated for superficial burns while his mother and brother were not physically injured.

A growing tribute of flowers was being placed outside the Chirilas’ home.

A devastated Mr Chirila briefly ­revisited the scene of the house fire on Monday. He stood under the aid of crutches in front of bouquets of flowers laid by the public and was consoled by friends and family.

By 6pm on Tuesday, more than $37,000 had been raised for the family through a GoFundMe campaign as messages flooded in from the heartbroken community through social media.

“What a tragic end to Easter for this family,” Michele Fort said.

“Thoughts, prayers and condolences to them all, their family and friends.”

Queensland police are also investigating the blaze and said a report would be prepared for the coroner.

Firefighters at the scene yesterday morning. Picture: 7 News