Family reunited with pet cats after massive fire at Grange in Brisbane

A family whose home was among three destroyed in a massive fire in Brisbane’s inner-north have been reunited with their pet cats.

A family of four have been reunited with their cats after a devastating blaze tore through multiple houses in the Brisbane suburb of Grange on Saturday.

The fire broke out on Evelyn St about 2pm Saturday, with strong winds causing the fire to spread to three homes, sparking a mass evacuation.

Investigators have said a 1920s Rolls Royce is part of their probe into the massive blaze.

David Topp and his wife Dr Jacqui Kelly were reunited with their three cats Tigerlily, Lachie and Lars after they managed to escape during the fire, returning days later.

David Topp and Jacqui Kelly with Hayden, 7, and Stephanie, 10, and the family’s pet cats Lars, Lachie and Tigerlily. Picture: Josh Woning

“We couldn’t sleep, I was up at 1am after like two hours of sleep the first night, and all I wanted to do was go look for them,” Dr Kelly said.

The first two cats were found on Sunday night but the third one took a few extra days to find.

“It was a difficult task to convince them to come close enough to us so they could be physically picked up and put into a carrier each,” Mr Topp said.

Three homes were destroyed on Evelyn St at Grange.

“But we’ve moved on to our temporary emergency accommodation and they’re adapting well, they’re happy to be with each other again, they’re quite resilient creatures actually.”

Mr Topp said the cats emerged from homes across the street.

The aftermath of the fire on Sunday morning. Picture: Lachie Millard

Almost 20 crews battled the intense fire for about three hours before finally getting it under control around 5pm, but three homes were completely destroyed and a fourth sustained serious damage.

Dr Kelly said the fire had taken a toll on her family, including her daughter who lost all the presents given to her for her birthday just days earlier.

“I always have a motto, never cry over what money can buy, and the three cats are safe. My family is safe,” she said.

Dr Jacqui Kelly's Evelyn St home in Grange. Picture: Supplied

“Ultimately it was the clothes on our backs, no shoes on the kids feet, like it was one of those nightmares you don’t expect to come back to your family home just to not be able to enter it.

“It’s a burnt out graveyard of a house.”

But the family have been so grateful for the support they have received including a GoFundMe which has raised almost $30,000.

”Keeping the smile on the kids faces is the most important thing and giving them the stability they need,” she said.

“But without this community, I don’t think we could have done that.”

Originally published as Family reunited with pet cats after massive fire at Grange in Brisbane