Harristown house fire: Inside story of what the neighbours saw
The Harristown house fire rocked a community, as neighbours tell of the horror they saw.
QLD News
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It was just shy of 12.30am when neighbours were jolted from their sleep by screams.
Still in their pyjamas, the Harristown residents leapt from their beds and frantically ran into the streets.
Bravely running towards the flames, they scambled to try to save the three young children who had been sound asleep in their family home when police believe they were doused in fuel and set alight.
The quaint cream house on Merritt St went up in seconds.
One of the children, a girl, was still alight as she walked across the road, one neighbour said. He scooped her up and took her into a house, placing her in a bathtub to cool the burns while they waited for emergency services to arrive.
“Her clothes were burning,” he said of the horror he saw.
Neighbour Will Cuffe said he immediately phoned 000.
“After we saw the smoke, it took about three minutes and the house just went up in flames,” he said. “We saw the mother, the father and some of the young kids. The mother was holding the kids and taking them to the ambulance.
“Two of the young kids were walking, but they were really badly burnt.”
Others smashed the windows of the house as they tried to save the family.
Another neighbour Josh Davey, his partner Tiffany and their children Jacob, 10, and Malia, 1, were trapped for several minutes on their nearby battle axe block.
“We could hear the beeping of the fire alarms … my partner actually woke me up, I went outside and saw the smoke and flames,” Mr Davey said.
Mr Davey said the fire was “overlapping” their driveway, with the young family trapped for “what felt like an eternity”.
“I just concentrated on getting my kids out the back door, trying to work out a way to get out the back if we need to, break some panels or break the fence if necessary.”
“And then when the flames died a little bit I came out the front … It was pretty daunting out the front here with all the family.”
While the children were being attended to by paramedics, Mr Davey said he could still hear them screaming.
“You could tell (the kids) were in a lot of pain,” he said.
Mr Davey said the home was engulfed within “seconds”.
“It felt like we were just going to stand there and watch everything burn down and once that wind picked up, I got worried,” he said.
The body of a 9-year-old boy was found near the front door of the home while his two sisters – aged 4 and 7 – succumbed to their injuries in hospital later that night.
The children’s mother Ellouisa Brighton Gibson, 36, was among those who managed to escape the blaze.
She was taken to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where she remains in a coma under police guard.
Ms Gibson’s 34-year-old partner, who was seen trying to pull the children from the home, was released from hospital on Wednesday.
A man, 18, and an 11-year-old boy were also in the home.
Speaking about the Gibson family, Mr Davey said: “They kept to themselves.”
“A month prior (the children) would always be out (in the yard) playing … I would see the dad and kids walking to school,” he said.
Treasurer and Toowoomba South MP David Janetzki took to social media on Friday morning to thank neighbours and community members who rushed to help in “those first desperate moments”.
“The loss of three young lives in Harristown is devastating, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and loved ones affected,” he said. “I want to acknowledge the immense bravery of our first responders, who were confronted with horrific and heartbreaking scenes as they worked to save lives. We are incredibly grateful for their dedication and courage.
“To the neighbours and members of our community who rushed to help in those first desperate moments — your selflessness and compassion in the face of such horror show the very best of the Toowoomba spirit.”
Detectives are now investigating whether the children had fuel poured on them before the house was set alight.
No charges have been laid.
Detective Superintendent George Marchesini told reporters police had had dealings with the family, but would not go into further detail.
“It certainly wasn’t a premises that police were regularly attending,” he said.
Supt Marchesini said the woman’s condition meant police had not spoken to her, but that they had reason to believe she would survive.
“Obviously we want to talk to all those persons that were present, we’ve already undertaken that with some of the people that were at the house and have obviously been released from hospital,” he said.
“Part of our investigation is obviously talking to all people, that will include the 36-year-old woman.”
Supt Marchesini confirmed police had spoken to Ms Gibson’s partner. He declined to comment on a report the mother had approached police concerning her mental health in the lead-up to the fire.
“The statement I made earlier, about looking at all interaction and communication, that is something we are looking at,” Supt Marchesini said.
Supt Marchesini said the man and 18-year-old helped get the children out.
“And I believe the 36-year-old had escaped that house as well and was located … out of the front of the premises,” he said.
Police have confirmed they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the fire.
In the days since the tragedy, a steady stream of community members have stopped at the now-blackened house, leaving flowers and teddy tributes to the family.
Premier David Crisafulli said a full investigation would take place.
“Three children have now lost their lives. A community is reeling,” he said. “We send our thoughts and prayers to the people of Toowoomba and thank neighbours and first responders who rushed to help.
“We will do absolutely everything we can to wrap our arms around the community.”
Originally published as Harristown house fire: Inside story of what the neighbours saw
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