Man charged with murder after fatal Toowoomba house fire

A MAN has been charged with murder after a fatal house fire in Toowoomba on Sunday night.

MONDAY, 4.45PM: Toowoomba police have charged a man with murder after a 63-year-old man was found dead following a house fire in South Toowoomba last night.

Emergency crews were called to a blaze at the Rivett Street residence around 8pm on December 15.

A man's remains were located during a subsequent search of the dwelling as well as a deceased dog.

Ongoing investigations led to the arrest of a 29-year-old man a short time later at a nearby residence. 

Police alleged that as he was taken into custody, the man assaulted a male police officer by headbutting him in the forehead. 

The 29-year-old Toowoomba man has been charged with one count each of murder, misconduct with a corpse, arson, enter dwelling with intent, serious assault police and serious animal cruelty. 

He will appear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court tomorrow.

MONDAY, 6.15AM: A PERSON has died following a house fire in Toowoomba on Sunday night.

A Queensland Police spokesperson said police were investigating the fatal house fire.

"Around 8pm emergency services were called to an address in Rivett Street where a double storey residence was well ablaze," the spokesperson said.

"After the fire was extinguished the unidentified remains of one deceased person were located inside the house.

"A crime scene has been established and investigations are continuing."

Police have cordoned off Rivett St and MacArthur St and established an enlarged crime scene, as they work to determine the cause of the fire.

Residents are advised to avoid the area.

Officers for the Toowoomba criminal investigation branch and scenes of crime forensic investigators will return to the Rivett St address this morning.

SUNDAY, 9.30PM: POLICE, ambulance and firefighters have raced to the scene of a house fire on Rivett st, South Toowoomba.

Neighbours reported smelling smoke at 8pm and emergency services arrived on the scene minutes later.

A police spokeswoman said the home was well alight. 

The fire has now been extinguished and investigations are continuing.

Neighbour Annie Banh, who lives a few doors down from the property, said she was working on her laptop when she smelt smoke.

"I told my sister to go out and look for the cat," Ms Banh said.

"Then as soon as I opened the door, I heard the fire trucks and saw the fire.

"The fire was big, I could see the whole house was on fire."

She said firefighters were quickly on the scene.

"The firefighters did a pretty good job. I think one or two (trucks) came first, the fire was under control already," she said.

"Three fire trucks and three more police came afterwards to follow up."

She said some of her neighbours had been evacuated by others. 

Originally published as Man charged with murder after fatal Toowoomba house fire