Community devastated after Newtown man, Kevin Brown, died in house fire

A quaint Toowoomba street has been left reeling after the tragic death of a beloved neighbour in a house fire on Friday afternoon.

An 89-year-old man died at the scene.

A quaint Toowoomba street has been left reeling after the tragic death of a beloved neighbour in a house fire on Friday afternoon.

Kevin “Brownie” Brown was killed in the blaze at his Newtown home.

“He (and his late wife) were practically grandparents of the street,” one neighbour said on Saturday morning.

She was one of the neighbours who made a triple zero call to emergency services after she saw smoke billowing from Mr Brown’s Newtown home on May 31.

She said her family had lived next door to the 89-year-old for about 30 years, and she was still in “shock” after the devastating news.

Flowers are left in tribute as investigations continue into a fatal house fire in Wallace St, Newtown, Saturday, June 1, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Another neighbour said she had known Mr Brown since she was 12 years old, and her kids had also known him their whole lives.

“We’re not doing so good,” she said.

However, she said the community, an incredibly tight-knit group of neighbours, had all been out to check on each other on Saturday morning as forensic police and fire inspectors surveyed the scene.

She said Mr Brown had lived in the home alone, since the passing of his wife five years ago.

In front of the house, the inspectors worked behind a police line, while neighbours and friends placed flowers along the fence.

A man has died at the scene of a house fire at Wallace Street in Newtown.

At the scene on Saturday morning, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services inspector David Zimmerle said while it’s under an ongoing investigation, the fire had been ruled as “accidental”.

While Mr Zimmerle could not specify the cause of the fire, he said the fire started in the bathroom.

Mr Zimmerle said the 89-year-old’s home was not fitted with smoke alarms, which he said is a good safety message to the community.

Kevin Brown is being remembered as a great man.

In his interactions with the neighbours, he said many of the neighbours were “close to him,” and were upset by the news.

Mr Zimmerle said crews were called to the Wallace St address at 2.52pm Friday and arrived minutes later.

Fire crews at the scene.

“Crews entered the house to conduct a primary search, whilst conducting firefighting, and they found the elderly occupant unresponsive,” Mr Zimmerle said.

“He was then removed to the rear of the house, where resuscitation attempts were made by QAS and QFES.

“A short time later, they declared him deceased.”

A second person has been taken to Toowoomba Hospital with minor chest injuries.