Five children and their father killed in house fire near Brisbane
Five children and their 34-year-old father have been killed in a fire which destroyed their family home on Russell Island, in Brisbane’s south-east.
Queensland Police said the siblings were aged between 3-11, and included twins boys, aged four.
Speaking to the media, Superintendent Mat Kelly, said a 28-year-old woman, believed to be their mother, escaped the blaze.
Kelly confirmed the fire, which spread to multiple houses on Todman Street at Russell Island, was not being treated as suspicious.
“The house has been burnt to the ground,” Kelly told media.
“These young boys who could have been men in the future and a man has lost his life.
“We are still speaking with this poor lady who has lost her entire family.”
Queensland Police confirmed this afternoon six bodies had been found.
“A port-mortem and scientific examination will take place to confirm the identities of the deceased,” a statement said.
Thick plumes of thick smoke were seen billowing into the sky, after the house became engulfed in blames about 6.20am this morning.
Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving multiple triple zero calls, where they found the mother crying for help.
“They were greeted with a distressed lady and a house fully alight,” Kelly said.
Nine people were treated at the scene by paramedics and two people including a 21-year-old woman who also got out of the house have been taken to Redlands Hospital in a stable condition.
The tragedy has sent shock waves through the community, Kelly said.
“(Russell Island) is a very small ingrained community,” he said.
“They all support each other and they are devastated by this.”
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire and police have appealed to anyone with information or relevant vision to come forward.
