Person evacuated, multiple police injured in Brisbane house fire

A woman with mobility issues has been rescued in dramatic scenes through a hole cut in an external wall, while multiple police officers have been injured as they and 25 firefighters worked to battle a suspicious fire that engulfed a Brisbane home.

Multiple fire crews and police attended the scene. Picture: News Media Network

A woman with mobility issues has been rescued in dramatic scenes after her home in Brisbane’s north became engulfed in flames in what police believe was a targeted attack.

The fire broke out at a single-storey house in Jefferis St, Virginia, about 9.14pm on Wednesday, with 25 firefighters attending the scene.

On arrival, crews found the front of the property engulfed in flames, with the woman trapped inside, to the rear of the property.

A crime scene has been declared following the fire. Picture: Elodie Jakes

In order to gain access to her, crews reportedly had to cut a hole in an external wall of the building, before managing to get her out.

Neighbour Wayne Wright said he was watching a police show on television when he heard the sirens.

“The first I really knew something was happening was when we heard voices shouting,” he said.

“The fire brigade came down and smashed the side door in. Soon as the door came down, you could see the fire inside, and the fire brigade we’re right onto it.”

Another neighbour, Chris, arrived at the scene to see emergency vehicles parked out the front of her house.

“I came home to the chaos afterwards, but my husband and boys were home,” she said.

“They just heard fire alarms and then yelling from the first responders, smashing of the doors and the glass.

“They saw all the smoke and every police car from north Brisbane here and it was pretty scary, apparently.

“When I came home I thought it was my house, so I got a real shock.”

The woman was assessed for smoke inhalation and taken to Prince Charles Hospital, while multiple Queensland Police officers, who assisted with her evacuation, also needed to be treated for injuries, a Queensland Fire Department spokesman said.

“There was just the one person that was removed from the house and they were in the hands of QAS,” the spokesman said.

The fire is being treated as suspicious and a crime scene has been declared. Picture: News Media Network

The fire was extinguished at 9.33pm.

Police said a crime scene had been declared and investigations into the cause of the fire were ongoing.

A neighbour said the woman moved in to the Virginia home “about six months ago”.

The neighbour said she believed the 37-year-old moved into the house “because it was wheelchair accessible”.

The house fire follows an unrelated fire that ignited in an abandoned building at Laxton Rd, Pallara, in Brisbane’s south just after 9pm.

A QFD spokesman said the building had been engulfed by flames.

A crime scene has been declared following the fire. Picture: Elodie Jakes

“It’s an abandoned brick house that was fully involved,” the spokesman said.

“Crews have managed to contain the fire to the building of origin and they have got it under control.”

The fire was extinguished by 9.50pm.