Six bodies have been found in a building where a father and five sons were trapped in a raging fire.
Police confirmed the gruesome discovery on Sunday night after public fears were raised for the 34-year-old man and the boys, who were 11, 10 and three, along with four-year-old twins. at the property on Todman Street on Russell Island off Brisbane’s south coast.
Despite fighting all day, firefighters were unable to enter the burnt-out property due to the scorching heat until 4:50 p.m. when the bodies were found.
“Once the fire was extinguished by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services this afternoon, an initial search of the scene found the bodies of six people, believed to be a man and five children,” police said.
“A port-mortem and scientific examination will take place to confirm the identity of the deceased.”
Neighbor, Angela Dawson, told her The courier mail the boys’ mother, 28, was trying to run into the house when the fire broke out around 6:18 a.m. Sunday, but their father stopped her and ran inside instead.
One house has been completely destroyed by the fire, another has been extinguished and a third is still burning
“He told her not to go in… So she alerted the neighbors by yelling. They call her their hero now, she saved them,’ Mrs Dawson said.
“The whole community is devastated, absolutely devastated.”
Superintendent Matthew Kelly said the mother escaped unharmed but was very distressed.
“These are young boys who could have become men in the future and a man lost his life too,” he said.
“We are still talking to this lady, who lost her entire family. It’s really tragic.’
Ms Dawson further described the father as a “super dad” who tirelessly tried to save the children from the burning house.
“He was just a loving dad who couldn’t wait to get home and play with the kids,” Ms Dawson told the publication.
“I know he was a hero and would have done anything to get those kids out.”
Supt Kelly said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
“We are not treating it as suspicious at this stage, that is not apparent from preliminary investigations,” he said.
Emergency services describe the situation as ‘confrontational’.
Fire and rescue services rushed to Todman Street on Russell Island, 60km southeast of Brisbane, at 6.18am on Sunday after reports of houses on fire
One resident said he heard an “explosion” before seeing black smoke billow into the air.
“Heard explosions earlier this morning and then saw the black smoke,” they wrote in a local Facebook group.
“I am saddened by the whole thing.”
Another nine people, including neighbours, were treated at the scene by paramedics.
Two were taken to hospital in stable condition – one to Redlands Hospital and one to Princess Alexandra Hospital.
An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire, police said.
The fire quickly engulfed the house where a father had bravely rushed in to save his five sons
The fire then spread to two other houses, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air.
One house collapsed during the blaze, while firefighters were busy dousing the flames in another.
About 20 firefighters were able to extinguish the flames of a third home.
Anyone with information or relevant footage of the incident is urged to come forward as the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire, police said.
“Firefighters are waiting for the area to be declared safe before investigating the scene.”
The fire at the property was so intense that despite fighting from early morning, firefighters were not able to search through the remains of the home until late Sunday afternoon.
Russell Island Rural Fire Brigade was the first to respond to the blaze, with witnesses then seeing ambulances and fire trucks from the mainland board a ship to the island to help with the blaze.
Paramedics have treated nine patients on the island, two of whom have been taken to Redlands Hospital in stable condition.