Man, children killed in car fire tragedy identified
Three young children have died and their mother is in hospital in a critical condition after an explosive car fire on a suburban Brisbane street. The children’s father, who also died, deliberately set the car on fire after dousing the children’s mother in petrol.
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THE couple at the centre of a shocking fatal car fire in Brisbane which killed three children have been identified as Rowan and Hannah Baxter.
Witnesses have spoken of seeing a woman on fire, believed to be Hannah Baxter, leap out of a burning car on Raven St, Camp Hill, screaming “he’s poured petrol on me.” The car had been deliberately set alight.
Camp Hill horror: Dad’s shocking last video
Three children aged 3, 4 and 6, were killed when 42-year-old Rowan Baxter doused the children’s mother in petrol and set the car alight.
Rowan also died in the car and is understood to have injured himself with a knife during the incident.
Hannah Baxter is in a critical condition in hospital with “significant burns”, police said.
The couple shared three children together, Laianah, Aaliyah and Trey. All three children perished in the tragedy.
The vehicle was just metres from Mrs Baxter’s parents’ home when their car exploded into flames.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Rowan is a former NZ Warriors player and worked as a fitness coach in Brisbane.
Mr Baxter was contracted to the Warriors for the 2005 season and played two trials in the pre-season but did not play an NRL competition match.
He previously played rugby union in the NZ domestic competition before converting to league in his mid 20s.
It’s understood police were called to a family violence incident in January and the couple were involved in a custody battle, although no formal proceedings has been lodged with the Family Court.
It’s believed the family had previously been reported to child safety as well, due to family violence issues.
There is no suggestion Hannah was violent.
Hannah, who is also a fitness coach, is described as “an enthusiastic, passionate mother of three” on the couple’s website.
The pair ran Integr8 Fitness at Capalaba.
Elite sports people, including former Brisbane Bronco legends Sam Thaiday and Matt Gillett, trained at the couple’s gym.
Thaiday trained at the gym in 2018 for about 12 weeks.
Former Chicago Bulls and Brisbane Bullets centre Cameron Bairstow and former pro-boxer Faris Chevalier also trained at Integr8 Fitness.
Integr8 shut down before Christmas, according to a neighbouring business.
The fitness gym closed due to the marriage split between Mr and Mrs Baxter, one employee said.
The employee said the business had shut without notice and the landlord had contacted them seeking the couple’s whereabouts.
The mother of three received gold and silver medals in trampoline sports where she represented Australia.
“Developing the physical abilities of children is where her true passion lies,” the website says.
Hannah worked at the PCYC for seven years teaching Kinder Gymnastics to under-five year olds.
In recent months Rowan Baxter, who previously attended Tauranga Boys’ College in New Zealand, flooded his Facebook with photos and videos of his children.
“ T-R-E-Y, love you to the moon and back,’” he posted just six days ago.
“Goodnight my babies, Daddy loves you,” he wrote a month ago.
On December 30 he posted a photo of his three children saying “I miss you all”
Rowan Baxter’s Facebook page indicated troubled times with a friend stating: “chin up brother everything will work out just hang in there my bro”.
A neighbour who witnessed the horrific incident told The Courier-Mail a man washing his car rushed across the road with his hose and a bucket of water to offer assistance to the burning woman.
The good Samaritan is said to have hosed down the woman, who was the only survivor from the car.
One neighbour has who witnessed the good Samaritan attempting to help Hannah Baxter described her condition following the car explosion.
“She was awake and conscious and completely aware of what had happened,” the man said.
“Skin was peeling off her, and she held her hands up … bits were hanging off. It was really quite horrific.”
Originally published as Man, children killed in car fire tragedy identified
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