‘Everything is gone’: Families in tears as Brisbane houses burn in ‘nightmare’ BBQ fire

An explosion at a family barbecue has destroyed two houses in a blue-chip suburb in Brisbane’s southeast, with one resident telling of his desperate attempt to stop the fierce blaze spreading to his home.

A family barbecue has turned to tragedy after two homes in a blue-chip suburb in Brisbane's southeast burned to the ground.

Amazingly, the people inside the Norman Park homes that were destroyed were able to escape with one man injured with only minor burns to his hand.

Multiple fire crews were called to the property at Gillan St after reports more than one house was on fire just after 2pm.

Police at the scene of the fire in Norman Park. Picture: George Pantarotas

One house was completely on fire and parts of a second home were also on fire when crews arrived, a QFES spokeswoman said.

A family embraces at the scene of the fire. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The home of Gillan St resident Dean Foote, 69, was one of two properties destroyed following the tragic BBQ.

Mr Foote grabbed a hose in a brave attempt to save his home, however, it spread to his house “within minutes”.

He said the LPG gas bottles went up “intensely” with flames well above the “11m” home.

“I tried to put water on the back corner as it approached my house but I couldn’t stand the heat,” Mr Foote said.

“Almost certainly a BBQ on the back deck of a typical Queenslander.”

The Norman Park street had been impacted by the floods before the fire. Picture: George Pantarotas

Mr Foote said he was told three quarters of his property was lost.

He said he’d lived at his home since the late 1990s.

“We have just recovered from a flood, everyone in the street was flooding, it’s tragic,” he said.

“It’s surreal. A Sunday afternoon you don’t expect an accident to be so devastating.”

Police speak to witnesses at the scene of the fierce blaze. Picture: Steve Pohlner

QFES acting Inspector Mark Crowe said nine people were in the home at the time and it was believed there had been a family barbecue.

He said the cause of the significant fire was still under investigation.

“(There is) a possibility of a gas bottle involved,” he said.

“It was a highset Queenslander and it has been totally destroyed.

“There is cars in the car port underneath, the number I’m not sure of.

Fourteen fire crews attended the scene of the blaze. Picture: George Pantarotas

“The intensity of the fire has caused damage to a neighbouring house, significant damage to a house next door,” he said.

Insp Crowe said there was natural gas at the property that couldn’t be isolated.

“We did have gas leaking and burning for quite a while,” he said.

“Once we extinguished that the gas continued to leak until we had gas services on scene to shut the gas off.

“And there were a number of explosions which I believe were gas cylinders as well.”

Insp Crowe said the neighbouring property was uninhabitable after the fire but was not totally destroyed.

Neighbours watched on as fire crews got the blazes under control. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Insp Crowe said 14 crews and about 40 firefighters were sent to the fire.

He said it was “very lucky” everyone was able to escape without serious injury.

Insp Crowe said people should be careful around barbecues.

“Just be careful of barbecues,” he said.

“It’s still under investigation, there is no cause from any wrongdoing or anything like that but just beware of barbecues and barbecue safely.”

Insp Crowe said if emergency services had not arrived as quickly as they had other properties could have been lost.

Neighbour Anna Kneipp came out onto her street to the smell of smoke and a family in tears.

Ms Kneipp said the entire two-storey Queenslander house was engulfed in flames and thick, black smoke billowing from it.

“I’m really good friends with the owners, they’ve been there for about eight years,” she said.

“It was a beautiful home and they’re such a lovely family.

“Everything was gone.”

A man talks to police at the scene. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Residents at the scene of the blaze. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Another street resident Nick Vainsen, 24, said he heard a massive bang and saw flames higher than 10m tall.

“Saw a heap of smoke and the house completely ablaze,” he said.

Family and friends hug at the scene. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“Flames peaking about 20-foot.

“It was huge and apparently caught fire to the home next door too.”

Neighbours said the flames were as high as 10m. Picture: George Pantarotas

George Pantarotas has lived on the street for 55 years and recalled hearing 12-15 popping sounds.

Smoke seen rising from the fire that has affected two houses in Norman Park. Picture: Twitter/@Scotty_McDonald

Mr Pantarotas said the heat could be felt from the street, across the road from the “eruption”.

“I could see a lot of fire, huge liking flames,” he said.

“The bangs sounded like gunfire but I don’t know what it was.”

Mr Pantarotas said many homes along the street had been inundated by February floods.

“It’s one thing after another for them,” he said.

The house was completely destroyed in the fierce blaze. Picture: Matty Holdsworth

The house that was totally destroyed was on a 1085m2 block, which backs on to Norman Creek, cost $1.9m in 2015, according to property records.

Prior to this it was listed for rent at $2500 per week, or $130,000 a year.