Huge fire breaks out at Boykambil Esplanade home on Hope Island

A luxury waterfront home has been destroyed by a ferocious fire that took seven fire crews almost two hours to extinguish in one of the Gold Coast’s most exclusive suburbs.

A well involved fire at a luxury Hope Island home on the Gold Coast has broken out on Saturday.

“Disaster day trippers” have been slammed for impeding rescue crews rushing to the scene of a house fire at one of the Gold Coast’s most exclusive suburbs.

A sprawling five-bedroom home at Hope Island’s Boykambil Esplanade North went up in flames just before midday with the occupants scrambling to safety before calling Triple 0.

Fire and ambulance crews rushed to the scene, but were delayed by “rubberneckers” who had choked nearby roads to stop and take photos and videos.

Fire crews took almost two hours to contain the blaze which virtually destroyed the waterfront home, which sold last year to an investment company for more than $1.8 million.

The three occupants of the home were treated for minor injuries at the scene, but none were transported to hospital.

A well involved fire at a Gold Coast home has broken out on Saturday.

However, some were quick to point out the delays faced by emergency responders due to traffic clogging the area.

“Emergency services are being delayed by idiots rubbernecking across Hope Island bridge,” wrote Michael Feighan on the Hope Island News & Crime and Community Facebook page.

“(They) continue to impede emergency services vehicles out sightseeing.

“Hopefully no one is injured.”

“Have a look at the photos people are putting up … can’t believe they aren’t embarrassed for their own behaviour,” wrote Bobby Cheetham on the same Facebook page.

“Stood outside someone’s burning house ‘oooh I better take a photo for those Facebook likes’.”

The fire gutted the waterfront home. Picture: QAS

A Queensland Fire Department spokesman confirmed there were a number of people creating potential hazards for rescue crews on their way to the scene.

“There were a number of people in the area at the time of the incident, creating a need for responding crews to exercise additional caution en route to ensure community safety,” the spokesman said in a statement.

“Our crews require the assistance of the public when responding to emergencies.

“If you see a fire truck – or any emergency vehicle – coming toward you with lights and sirens activated it is vital that you move out of the way as soon as possible to ensure our crews have clear and unimpeded access to the emergency they are attending.”

The Fire Investigation Unit is probing the cause of the blaze.

Originally published as Huge fire breaks out at Boykambil Esplanade home on Hope Island