Murrumba Downs fire: Townhouse resident’s chilling Facebook posts before explosion
Facebook posts made in the hours before a townhouse was destroyed in an explosion reveal the homeowner couldn’t pay his mortgage so was going to “fight back big time”. READ THE FULL POSTS
Emergency Services
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Human remains and a number of gas bottles have been found inside a Murrumba Downs townhouse that was gutted by fire after an explosion on Wednesday.
It comes as the owner of the property, who police had been unable to account for, made chilling Facebook posts hours before his home erupted, referencing his own funeral, revealing mortgage stress and blasting the Reserve Bank.
As well as human remains, police have this morning confirmed that four gas bottles were found “close together” in the loungeroom, with another located in the garage.”
“We can advise you that police scientific (officers) and fire investigators have located human remains in what appears to be the garage area,” Detective Acting Inspector Stephen Windsor said.
“Next to those remains is another gas bottle – so there were four gas bottles and a further gas bottle as well.
“Obviously the remains are severely charred and further scientific work needs to be done which will take a number of hours.”
An hour before the home erupted, Garry William Maidment wrote on Facebook that at his funeral “what will be left” of his body was “strictly for family members”.
“Thats right i was adopted so there is no blood line so looks like my body will be a Jon doe,” he wrote at 11:52am on Wednesday.
At 12:50pm Queensland Fire and Emergency Services received reports of a house fire at the “Nambucca Rise” complex in Murrumba Downs.
Seven fire crews were dispatched, with police evacuating neighbouring properties as an exclusion zone around the complex on Nambucca Close until 4:55pm.
In the Facebook posts, Maidment hinted at a plan he had to financially hurt his bank and body corporate after a desperate financial situation meant he was going to lose his home.
“When you have cornered a tiger like me I fight back big time and rip you apart, I came up with a plan to financially hurt the bank and body corporate.”
“Do know the good part I do not have to spend anytime in jail because I will be gone,” he posted two hours before the explosion.
Earlier posts expressed frustration at the Reserve Bank increasing interest rates and “crapping on poor people with mortgages,” as corporate profits fuel inflation.
“Yet the mortgage owners get screwed because inflation caused by big business PROFITS,” he wrote three hours before the explosion.
Half an hour later the man posted about being on the brink of losing his house as he was unable to make his mortgage repayments.
Mr Maidment owned a Lawn and Garden service called Whip ‘n’ Mow North Brisbane whose ABN cancelled on July 10.
At a media conference this morning, Det Act Insp Windsor confirmed the gas bottle find.
“I can confirm at the moment that there are no concerns for the community and for the public,” he said.
“We don’t believe that there is anyone else involved in this matter. We are currently not looking for a suspect person.”
Det Insp Windsor said fire investigators and police were still processing the scene.
He confirmed the homeowner had made comments about “challenges” he was facing in life.
“Information I’ve been provided is that the male person has had some challenges and some current pressures in life and he has made some comments about that,” Det Insp Windsor said.
He said the man had no history with police.
Inspector Windsor said it was “very fortunate that no-one was in the near vicinity when this did go on … I’ve been told it was a substantial explosion”.
The house was completely destroyed as a result of the blaze.
Large orange flames and thick plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing out of the house, with residents from surrounding suburbs saying the explosion could be both heard and felt in Strathpine, Griffin, Kallangur and Dakabin.
A resident in the same street as the explosion this morning said she was still shaken by the incident.
“Something horrible has happened that you just don’t think is going to happen,” she said. “A whole house has been destroyed, just gone in an instant.”
Suzanne said people had damage to their properties.
“My cat flew across the room when it happened.”
Residents have this morning started returning to their homes, some of which have been left with broken windows, cracked walls and debris.
Murrumba Downs local Terence Hiron said the explosion was so loud he thought it was coming from his backyard.
“We are doing renovations on the back of the house at the moment so I thought it was coming from there, like something had fallen,” Mr Hiron said.
“We are like 10 streets back and it shook our house, where it happened is really just rubble now – it is just crazy.”
Another nearby resident later wrote on social media: “Shook my house in Kallangur, I even checked the flight path tracker to check it wasn’t a sonic boom.”
Another local said they “thought a meteor crashed”, while a Murrumba Downs resident said: “Our roof shook and felt like something large dropped on it … Same for neighbours. We were all out in the street checking.”
Police said investigators would not be able to access the house until Thursday morning. It is still unclear whether anyone was at the residence at the time of the explosion.
The crime scene will remain in place overnight with residents at “Nambucca Rise” told to seek temporary shelter for the night.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said the initial report came in at 12.50pm. Crews found the townhouse and its garage engulfed in flames.
The public safety warning for surroundings streets was lifted last night.
Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact police.
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