Police actions probed after woman with DV order dies in house fire

The actions of police called to the home of a woman under the protection of a domestic violence order are being probed after she died in a house fire just hours later.

An investigation is under way into the actions of police who responded to a call for help at the home of a North Queensland mother under the protection of a domestic violence order – hours before she was killed in a horrific house fire.

Ayr woman Florrie Reuben, 47, died from severe burns in the Townsville University Hospital after her Home Hill Rd home erupted into flames shortly before 6am on Tuesday.

Three hours earlier, police and paramedics briefly attended the address following a call from the house about a “mental health” matter.

A homicide investigation is under way into the circumstances of Ms Reuben’s death – while a separate investigation, overseen by the Crime and Corruption Commission, will look at interactions Ms Reuben and her partner had with police prior to her death.

Her partner, a 65-year-old man, remains in a serious condition with severe burns in the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and is yet to be spoken to by police.

Ms Reuben’s death comes during public hearings of the Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service Responses to Domestic and Family Violence.

The inquiry is sitting this week in North Queensland.

Police on Tuesday described the initial call for help, shortly after 2am, as a “mental health” matter, saying they would not speculate on whether there was a history of domestic violence between the couple.

Police said the call related to “comments that were made at the residence”.

They were called back to the home at 5.40am after it erupted into flames.

Townsville Acting Chief Superintendent Chris Lawson yesterday revealed police had been called to the address on previous occasions and that a current domestic violence order was in place for the protection of Ms Reuben.

The order was made in 2018 and did not prevent the couple from living together.

“After the 47-year-old woman passed away, it was established that the fire was more probably deliberately lit, so we’ve commenced a homicide investigation,” Chief Supt Lawson said.

“At this stage we believe that the people involved at the scene on Tuesday morning would have knowledge of this.

“Obviously with the passing of the 47-year-old female, we’re waiting to speak to the 65-year-old male.

“The man and woman were in a domestic relationship and there was a current domestic violence protection order protecting the 47-year-old-female.”

Police and fire crews on the scene of a house fire in Ayr on Home Hill Rd.

Chief Supt Lawson said the circumstances of the “welfare check” remain under investigation.

“We’ve got the homicide investigation going in relation to the actual fire that started,” he said.

“We’ve got another investigation occurring which the Ethical Standards Command is doing with oversight from the CCC in relation to those earlier interactions.

“So police did attend the welfare check (and) at that stage police received assistance from the Queensland Ambulance Service to conduct investigations.

“As a result of that they left both parties at the address.”

He said the woman’s death was “not a great result”.

“And that’s why we have the Ethical Standards Command and the CCC overviewing the investigation into that initial interaction with the couple,” Chief Supt Lawson said.

Asked about comments made by neighbours that police had been to the Ayr home “many times”, Chief Supt Lawson said: “As part of the investigation being conducted by the Ethical Standards Command, they will have a look at all the interactions Queensland Police Service has had with the couple and whether the action that was taken on each of those occasions was appropriate in the circumstances.”

Florrie ‘Kory’ Reuben died in Ayr

Originally published as Police actions probed after woman with DV order dies in house fire