One dead, four fighting for life after Lawnton house fire
Neighbours have described chaotic scenes at a house fire that left a 13-year-old girl dead and four others fighting for life in City of Moreton Bay Sunday morning.
Neighbours have described chaotic scenes at a house fire that left a 13-year-old girl dead and four others fighting for life in City of Moreton Bay on Sunday morning.
The fire broke out at the property in Darcy Way, Lawnton, shortly after 5.30am.
At least five fire crews battled the blaze and were forced into a defensive position as they worked to protect neighbouring properties.
The teenage girl was declared deceased at the scene.
Four people – a teenage boy and girl, and man and woman both in their 30s – were taken to hospital in life-threatening conditions. All four were in a critical but stable condition at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital as of 3pm Sunday.
Nearby homes were evacuated but residents were allowed to return shortly after 6.50am.
Neighbours say they heard screaming and banging before a family spilled out onto the street during the chaotic scenes.
Resident Stacey Maskell said she initially thought another house was on fire after hearing the commotion.
She said a person was being splashed with water as others tried to cool what appeared to be burns.
“I saw them tipping water over someone,” she said.
Another neighbour, Steven Cannon, said it was “insane”.
“I just didn’t know how to think or how to process it, honestly,” Mr Cannon said.
“I heard people arguing, and then I came out and saw the smoke. Then all hell broke loose.”
Neighbour Keiran McWha said he heard screams from the property.
“It went from black smoke, within a minute, to flames. There was a small explosion. Sounded like a mini gas bottle. It really took the fire to a higher level,” he said.
Describing chaotic scenes, Mr McWha said other neighbours attempted to help those suffering from burns by hosing them down with water.
He said ambulance and fire crews were also working to douse the people, who were attempting to rescue a dog from the property, which he helped secure.
“They were more worried about the dog than themselves,” Mr McWha said.
He said he hadn’t heard a smoke alarm before the blaze and believed the occupants woke to the smoke.
A crime scene was declared and investigations into the cause of the fire remain ongoing. The crime scene was expected to remain in place for at least the remainder of the day.
Moreton District Senior Sergeant Joseph Zitny said when police arrived the home was well engulfed and took “considerable” time to put out.
“As a result investigators attended the scene and subsequent investigations identified one deceased person located within the dwelling,” he said.
He said not all residents inside the home at the time of the fire were related, however initial investigations indicate the person who died lived at the property.
“In relation to the deceased, we are still working to confirm the identity of that person,” he said.
He said police were pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, including one into whether an e-scooter may have sparked the fire, with initial investigations indicating there was an e-scooter and possibly an e-bike at the property.
He also said police had attended the Lawnton property previously.
“I believe that the police have been to the address previously. However, we are still to establish whether there is any sort of relationship between those previous visits and what has happened here today,” he said.
Asked whether there were any links between the fire and some “fighting” that was heard by neighbours this morning, he said police were still working through all the information from neighbours.
“To try and establish or work through the movements or any information that leads up to or through the course of what has happened here,” Sgt Zitny said.
Premier David Crisafulli said the people involved, neighbours and first responders were in his thoughts.
“It involves young people, it’s a tight-knit part of the city and it’s a tight-knit community,” he said.
“It’s just so incredibly sad that we can have a situation like this.
“It involves young people and that is heartbreaking.”
Originally published as One dead, four fighting for life after Lawnton house fire
