Man suffers stab wound, fire at home in Grange

A man allegedly stabbed in the chest by his partner while enjoying his morning coffee has been identified as police reveal new details about the “horrendously graphic” Grange crime scene.

Police in the front yard of a Grange home where a man was stabbed in the chest in an early morning incident. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

A Brisbane man is fighting for his life in hospital after he was allegedly stabbed in the chest on his front verandah while having a cup of coffee in Brisbane’s inner north.

Police have alleged the 43-year-old man, who has been identified as Roberto Giuseppe Zumbo, was stabbed by his 44-year-old partner Pierina Daidone-Zumbo at their family home in Grange.

Pierina Daidone-Zumbo was stabbed at a home in Grange.

The 44-year-old woman has been identified as Pierina Daidone-Zumbo

Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said the man had been stabbed with a “serrated kitchen-type cutting knife” about 20cm in length.

Police at Inglis St at Grange, in Brisbane's north, after an alleged stabbing early this morning. Picture: Bianca Stone/Twitter

Queensland Fire and Rescue Services and Queensland Ambulance Service were called to Inglis St in Grange at 5.20am this morning.

“At 5.20am a male jogger was jogging along the street when his attention was alerted to a 34-year-old man in distress on a balcony,” Supt Massingham said.

“The victim called out to the jogger and he threw a bladed weapon into the front yard.”

The victim had been locked out of his house on the balcony after being stabbed in the chest.

Police examine items on the front lawn of the home following the early morning incident. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Det Supt Massingham said the knife narrowly missed the man’s heart.

He said the man is currently undergoing surgery at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

“Initially, the prognosis was not good.

“He was talking prior to surgery which was a good indicator… but he is in surgery and critical.”

Det Supt Massingham said the 44-year old woman had “barricaded” herself inside a bathroom after setting fire to a number of items within the home.

Police officers on the balcony of a home at Inglis St at Grange, in Brisbane’s inner north. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

The fire was extinguished a short time later and the man was taken to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital with critical injuries.

A woman was evacuated from the house.

A crime scene has been declared and a woman, who is known to the man, is assisting police with their inquiries.

The incident is believed to be domestic-violence related.

Superintendent Andrew Massingham described the scene as “horrendously graphic”. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

He said that neighbours had used a ladder to rescue the man from the locked balcony, a scene described as “horrendously graphic”.

He said initial investigations indicate that the man was “attacked, potentially while seated on that front balcony while having a coffee”.

“That male called out to the jogger and shortly after threw a bladed weapon in the front yard”.

“The couple have been together for an extended period of time -their marriage status at this stage is not clear”.

Det Supt Massingham confirmed that the property was not known to police.

Police crews close a street at Grange in Brisbane where a man was found with a stab wound as emergency crews responded to a fire at a home. Picture: Andreas Nicola

Supt Massingham described the scene as “horrendously graphic”, saying it was lucky the home was not more badly damaged by the fire.

“A number of books, clothing items and curtains inside the residence (were set alight),” he alleged.

“Certainly if left unattended the house would have been well-involved.”

He said it was extremely lucky that the jogger was passing by.

“We really don’t know how that would have ended, so I think as a community we have come together pretty well this morning to manage, without emergency services on the scene, what was quite a confronting scene for them,” he said.

Students at Wilston State School look on as police close off the street after a stabbing. Picture: Rose Innes

Police closed nearby streets and investigators have attracted the attention of students turning up to school at Windsor State School, which is opposite the home.