Brisbane house fire: Blaze that killed 6yo Max Chirila could have been sparked by a charging battery

Investigators are assessing whether a simple household item sparked a Brisbane house fire that killed a six-year-old boy.

Fire investigators are reportedly assessing whether a charging battery sparked the house fire that killed six-year-old Brisbane boy Max Chirila on Monday.

Tributes have flowed for Max in the wake of the horrific incident, with heartbroken classmates from his school adding to a growing collection of tributes piling up outside the Clayfield home.

Many left flowers, while a school hat was also placed at the home with a note reading: “I hope you sleep well in heaven Max”.

A school hat with a note reading, ' I hope you sleep well in heaven Max' is one of a handful tributes piled up outside the Brisbane home. Picture: Supplied/Nine News

The family woke at 4am on Monday to an explosive blaze ripping through their home.

Max’s parents and his four-year-old sibling were able to escape the flames, but could not get past the out-of-control fire to save their other child.

Tragically, Max’s body was later found inside his bedroom by fire crews at 5.30am.

Neighbours described seeing a “fireball” of flames. Picture: Nine News

Forensic investigators and the Electrical Safety Office are still assessing how the fire started but investigations are reportedly centring on whether batteries from an electric bike or car could be involved, The Courier Mail reports.

The boy who died in a house fire tragedy in Brisbane's north has been identified as 6-year-old Max Chirila. Photo: Supplied (Facebook)

Family members who gathered in the street on Monday were visibly distressed.

Neighbours said they woke to explosions and horror screams coming from the home.

“The fireball was metres, and metres, and metres in the air,” a neighbour told 7 News.

“We heard the screaming and it was a bit confronting, and really awful.”

Family members returned to the tragic scene on Monday. Picture: Liam Kidston

Firefighters took just under an hour to extinguish the flames after arriving at the Barlow St address within minutes of the emergency call.

It is believed the blaze broke out at the rear of the home, but the entire two-storey timber house was overwhelmed by the flames when firefighters arrived on the scene.

The little boy’s body was found in his bedroom. Picture: Nine News

The house was engulfed in flames. Picture: Liam Kidston

Flames had begun to encroach on neighbouring properties and the roof had started to collapse.

Paramedics treated the father for minor burns to his hands and the mother for superficial injuries – the younger child was unharmed.

There were grave fears for the eldest child when he was unaccounted for hours while emergency services worked to extinguish the flames and search the home.

People have left flowers outside the home of a horror house fire tragedy on Monday. Picture: Supplied.

His father returned to the scene on Monday afternoon, consoled by family and friends as he viewed bouquets of flowers left by members of the public.

Max‘s mother, Karen, thanked the community for all their support.

Fire investigators surveyed the scene. Picture: Liam Kidston

Fire investigators said they were uncertain if the house was fitted with smoke alarms.

“There is substantial damage to the roof of the property making it impossible to tell if there was smoke alarms in the house.” they said.