‘She wasn’t alone’: Surgeon’s message to grieving family after fatal blaze

A “kind-hearted” grandmother who died after her home was engulfed in flames on Brisbane’s bayside has been identified, as the off-duty surgeon who tried to save her described how neighbours did everything they could at the harrowing scene.

An elderly woman who died after her home was engulfed in flames on Brisbane’s bayside on Sunday afternoon has been identified as 91-year-old Valma Davis.

Family members shared tributes to their “very generous and kind-hearted” grandmother, who dedicated her entire life to helping and caring for others.

Nate Davis said that his grandmother was “such a selfless person who cared more about everyone else than herself”.

“She would buy presents for all the family. No matter what she loved to give,” he said.

“Our nan was a truly selfless person that always had a smile on her face, a pure heart that cared deeply for all her family and pets.

“We were always well fed to the point of bursting.”

Ms Davis’ grandson said that his grandmother had a couple of signature phrases, and was known to call it how she saw it.

“She had a few things she would say like ‘righto, or yeah mate’.

Valma Davis died in a house fire at Thorneside on Sunday afternoon. Picture: Facebook

‘“A spade was a spade’ and ‘there was no sugar-coating it’.

“She was 91 years young and at peace with life and where it had taken her.”

Mr Davis said she spent “91 good years waiting to be with grandad again but was taken in the most horrendous way”.

“Lost for words Nan … My heart will long to cuddle you again … to hear your laugh, but most of all to tell you how you’re the best nan in the whole world.

“Forever and ever and ever we will all love you … tell Grandad we all love him,” the tribute read.

The former wife of Ms Davis’ son, Noel, has spoken of the loss of the “beautiful” lady.

“In the 18 years I knew her she was just a beautiful and genuine lady,” Theresa Leonard said.

“She will be very much missed.”

A local resident said Ms Davis had lived in the area for decades and was known for her volunteer work.

Ms Davis has been described as a 'beautiful lady' who was known for her volunteer work. Picture: Supplied

An off-duty surgeon who tried to break into the Redlands home at it was gripped by the ferocious blaze that claimed Ms Davis’ life on Sunday, wanted her family to know the community rallied to try and save her in her last moments.

The surgeon and his off-duty paramedic family member were alerted by smoke in Thorneside while at a social gathering, only to be confronted by a raging blaze and Ms Davis’ harrowing call for help.

Wishing to remain anonymous, the man said he hoped the her family could find some comfort in the community’s response.

The Thorneside blaze. Picture: Supplied

“I wanted her family to know that people were trying to help, that she wasn’t there (completely) alone,” the surgeon said.

“People were actively trying, the community rallied to try to help.

“Yes, she called for help but I think the smoke got to her before the fire did, just based on what we were able to see.

“So we hope that provides a little bit of comfort and clarification.

“(And) it wasn’t just us trying to help.

“The neighbours on one side were on their fence trying to look at the back part of their property.

“And there was a guy with a sledgehammer trying to break into the garage.”

Witnesses tried to break into the garage of a home in Thorneside as it went up in smoke but flames from upstairs prevented them from getting in. Picture: Richard Walker

The surgeon described a harrowing scene.

“We realised the fire was going up and the fireys had arrived and there was literally no way of us getting in,” he said.

“We get there and the neighbours tell us only one person lives there.

“So we run down the side of the house, just yelling, ‘Is there anyone there?’

“And then you can hear this feeble, you know, ‘Help, help me’.

“And then we were yelling out, ‘Where are you?’ And she is like, ‘Upstairs’.

“And the only way up was the front entrance, and so we have raced up the stairs, and the doors are locked, we can’t get through there.

Neighbours had tried to enter the house before emergency services arrived. Picture: Richard Walker

“We managed to get someone to bring us some hammers.

“I already had a hammer to begin with (but) that wasn’t going to get through a security door.

“And I tried to break the glass next to it just to see if I could get my hand around to unlock the door.

“And as soon as I hit the glass I got hit with this huge plume of smoke and heat.

“And the paramedic grabbed the sledgehammer and busted down the front door and got hit with this massive wave of heat and smoke.

“And there was just no way of us getting in; it was just too far gone by that stage.

“And so we fell back and we couldn’t figure out a way to get upstairs.

“And someone had managed to break down the garage door underneath.

“But as soon as they did you could just see fire all through the ceiling part of the garage, of what would have been the floor of the top level.

“It was just all over.”

Firefighters at the scene of the fatal blaze. Picture: Richard Walker

Despite dealing frequently with death in his job, he nonetheless admitted to being “shell-shocked” after the event.

“It is confronting,” he said.

“I suppose it is one of those life events that you never expect, that you always hear about and then all of a sudden is there in front of you.

“So it is not really a well thought out plan or process.

“Yes it was awful hearing her call out for help.

“It was awful when we … realised we just couldn’t actually provide her any help.

“When I walked home I was kind of shell-shocked, ‘What have I just sort of witnessed?’.

“Because we went from hearing the lady call for help, to not being able to get in the front door, to then essentially, getting out of the way when the professionals arrived.

“And so were essentially standing out the front of the building on the other side of the street and just watching this house just disintegrate, with flames coming out of everywhere.

“You try and tell yourself you did the best you could.”