Toowoomba house fire: three children dead, mum under police guard

Two young girls have died in hospital after a ”suspicious” house fire in Toowoomba yesterday that claimed the life of a nine-year-old boy. Their mother is under police guard in a critical condition.

A child has died after a horror fire engulfed a Toowoomba region home overnight. Photo: Jarrard Potter

Three children have now died following a horror house fire in Toowoomba with their mother under police guard in hospital with detectives treating it as suspicious.

Heroic neighbours helped four children and two adults – a man, 34, and a woman, 36 – out of the home after the fire in Harristown about 12.30am.

The nine-year-old boy died in the fire and two girls, aged 4 and 7, died at the Queensland Children’s Hospital from their injuries.

Neighbours leave flowers and a teddy at the scene of the triple fatal house fire in Harristown on Thursday morning. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Detective Superintendent George Marchesini said the woman remained in a critical condition in hospital and remained under police guard. He confirmed the woman was the mother to all of the children.

The man was released from hospital yesterday, as were the other children. He is the father of some of the children in the house, Supt Marchesini said.

He confirmed police had had interaction with the family previously but would not go into further detail.

“As I said earlier, we will look at all interactions. At this stage it’s too early to make any further comment on that,” Supt Marchesini said.

“It certainly wasn’t a premises that police were regularly attending.”

Supt Marchesini said police had been unable to speak with the woman but would if her condition improved. He said police had been provided information that she was expected to 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 have been released from hospital,” Supt Marchesini 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 the man.

He said some family had travelled from interstate.

Supt Marchesini said the 11-year-old and 18-year-old went to the children’s hospital last night before the 7-year-old and 4-year-old girls died.

“They did attend the hospital last night while obviously life support was turned off for the two young girls,” Supt Marchesini said.

Supt Marchesini was asked if the woman 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,” he said.

“So at the moment we have some information we need to confirm, but it’s certainly not something that I could make further comment on at the moment.

“And it’s certainly not something - as I said earlier - that we’ve had regular contact with the mother.”

Detective Superintendent George Marchesini. Picture: David Clark

Supt Marchesini said the man and the 18-year-old helped get the children out of the house.

“And I believe the 36-year-old had escaped that house as well and was located towards the front of the premises, out of the front of the premises,” he said.

Supt Marchesini said it was a tragedy for the entire community.

“On behalf of the Queensland Police Service I would like at this time to extend our deepest sympathies to the families, friends and all those involved in this tragic event, that’s also including the community,” he said.

“Toowoomba is a tight-nit community and this tragedy will no doubt have a considerable impact on its residents.

“I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of our first responders and emergency services, who were confronted with a horrific scene in the early hours of yesterday morning.

“It was a scene that no one should have to see. And while we are first responders and are trained to deal with these sorts of incidents, I want to assure you that we are not immune to feeling the impact that it has had.”

Premier David Crisafulli has assured the Toowoomba community that a full investigation would take place following the tragedy.

“It’s devastating. Toowoomba is a really tight-knit city, and that community will really be hurting this morning,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“We will do absolutely everything we can to wrap our arms around the community.”

He said immediate support had been provided through the education and housing departments, including counselling services and resources for staff, students and families at the school attended by the children.

Neighbours leave flowers and a teddy following a fatal house fire in Harristown, Thursday. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Neighbours and community members left flower and teddy tributes to the family in the wake of the triple tragedy.

The Toowoomba community is reeling from the unimaginable incident as harrowing details emerge from eye-witnesses who say they will be haunted by what happened.

A neighbour said he rushed out of his house after hearing a loud shouting and thought someone might be trying to break into his home.

The reality was much worse as he saw one of the children walk across the road, on fire.

“Her clothes were burning,” he said.

He took the girl into another house and put her in the bath to cool the burns while waiting for emergency services to arrive.

Another neighbour, Jenny, said a neighbour woke her before the emergency services arrived

“I could see from my bedroom window that the flames were as high as the fence,” she said.

“By the time I got out and across the road, the fire truck had arrived.”

While Jenny has lived next to the family for several years, she did not know them well.

“We would cross each other’s paths when we took the bins out,” she said.

“I didn’t know the children, but they used to call me nanna, they’d call out ‘hi nanna’”.

Five fire crews were sent to the blaze, which was fully extinguished by 1.50am.

Senior police said the fire was being treated as suspicious.

The worst of the fire was towards the front of the home. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Neighbours broke windows in an attempt to free the children from the home as they desperately tried to save the family.

Detective Inspector Renee Garske said a crime scene had been declared and the Homicide Squad was assisting the local investigators.

Police confirmed they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the fire.

An 18-year-old man also escaped the home and was taken to Toowoomba Base Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while an 11-year-old boy was uninjured.

Neighbour Will Cuffe ran to the home after he saw the fire.

“We were awake and heard some loud shouting, so we went to see what was happening and saw a lot of people out on the street,” he said.

“We heard the smoke alarms, then saw the smoke and flames.”

Mr Cuffe said he phoned triple-0 immediately but that there was little that could be done.

Several neighbours ran to the rear of the house to help the family, while Mr Cuffe went to the front door but the smoke was too thick.

Witnesses said the main part of the fire was at the front of the house.

“After we saw the smoke, it took about three minutes and the house just went up in flames,” Mr Cuffe 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.”

Insp Garske would not go into detail on what police knew about the incident.

Two young girls are critical following the fire. Picture: Kevin Farmer

It is understood at least one of the children attended Harristown State School.

A Queensland Education spokesman said the department offered its condolences.

“Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with all those affected by the devastating house fire in Toowoomba,” he said.

“We understand this tragic event will impact many people throughout the community and support is being provided to students and staff in the area, with guidance counsellors available for as long as needed.”

On Wednesday afternoon police confirmed they were treating the fire as suspicious.

Officers were not looking for anyone else in relation to the fire.

“We are appealing for anyone with relevant information to please come forward, this is a tragic event and we are deeply saddened by this incident,” Insp Garske said.

“Our hearts go out to the Toowoomba community at this time, and to the family and friends of persons involved.”

One neighbour said the family moved into the street recently.

“They were just a regular family,” he said.

“We were half asleep when it was kicking and we came out to have a look, but there was nothing we could do.”

Another neighbour said it was heartbreaking to hear about the fire.

Police Scenes of Crime officers and Queensland Fire Department investigators were also sent to the scene.

A Department of Education spokesman said the event would impact the community.

“Support is being provided to students and staff in the area, with guidance counsellors available for as long as needed,” he said.

“Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with all those affected.”

A woman is under police guard in hospital as she fights for life. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Fatal house fire in Harristown. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Originally published as Toowoomba house fire: three children dead, mum under police guard