This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/08/three-children-dead-after-suspicious-fire-in-toowoomba-home-ntwnfb

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Toowoomba woman in critical condition under police guard after three of her children die in suspicious house fire Toowoomba woman in critical condition under police guard after three of her children die in suspicious house fire
(31 minutes later)
A nine-year-old boy is believed to have died in the fire while girls aged four and seven died later in hospital from critical burnsA nine-year-old boy is believed to have died in the fire while girls aged four and seven died later in hospital from critical burns
A mother-of-five is fighting for her life after three of her children died in a horrific house fire. A mother of five is fighting for her life after three of her children died in a horrific house fire in Queensland.
Police are hopeful the 36-year-old woman’s condition will improve, saying they aim to speak to her about the blaze that engulfed the family home west of Brisbane.Police are hopeful the 36-year-old woman’s condition will improve, saying they aim to speak to her about the blaze that engulfed the family home west of Brisbane.
The Toowoomba house has been declared a crime scene with police treating the fire as suspicious, calling in homicide detectives.The Toowoomba house has been declared a crime scene with police treating the fire as suspicious, calling in homicide detectives.
The woman remains under police guard in a Brisbane hospital after the death toll from the devastating family house fire rose to three.The woman remains under police guard in a Brisbane hospital after the death toll from the devastating family house fire rose to three.
Two of her daughters, aged four and seven, died in a Brisbane hospital overnight after suffering critical burns.Two of her daughters, aged four and seven, died in a Brisbane hospital overnight after suffering critical burns.
A body, believed to be her nine-year-old son, was earlier found in the home’s charred remains. A body, believed to be that of the woman’s nine-year-old son, was earlier found in the home’s charred remains.
The death toll rose after neighbours helped six people including three children escape when the family home went up in flames in Wednesday’s early hours. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
Floral tributes and a teddy bear have been left outside the gutted Toowoomba home as the local community tries to comprehend the tragedy. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
“I would like to extend our deepest sympathies for family, friends and all those involved in this tragic event,” Detective Superintendent George Marchesini said on Thursday. Neighbours helped six people, including three children, escape when the family home went up in flames in Wednesday’s early hours.
Floral tributes and a teddy bear were left outside the gutted Toowoomba home as the local community tried to comprehend the tragedy.
“I would like to extend our deepest sympathies for family, friends and all those involved in this tragic event,” Det Supt George Marchesini said on Thursday.
“Toowoomba is a tight-knit community and this tragedy will no doubt have a considerable impact on its residents.”“Toowoomba is a tight-knit community and this tragedy will no doubt have a considerable impact on its residents.”
The mother remains in a critical condition in hospital and police had not been able to speak with her, Det Supt Marchesini said. The mother remains in a critical condition in hospital and police had not been able to speak with her, Marchesini said.
However he hoped officers would be able to talk with her in a bid to understand what happened in the lead-up to the fire.However he hoped officers would be able to talk with her in a bid to understand what happened in the lead-up to the fire.
Medical advice suggested she would survive the fire, Det Supt Marchesini said, but “things can change quite quickly”. The woman is currently expected to survive the fire, Marchesini said, but “things can change quite quickly”.
The three other people who escaped the burning home - two men aged 34 and 18 plus an 11-year-old boy - have provided statements to police. The three other people who escaped the burning home – two men aged 34 and 18, plus an 11-year-old boy – have provided statements to police.
The 34-year-old - the father of some of the children - has been released from hospital along with the 18-year-old, who is one of the mother’s five kids. The 34-year-old, who is the father of some of the children, has been discharged from hospital along with the 18-year-old, who is one of the mother’s five children.
The 11-year-old escaped the home unharmed.The 11-year-old escaped the home unharmed.
Sign up to Breaking News Australia
Get the most important news as it breaks
after newsletter promotion
Police will investigate if the fire was deliberate and whether accelerant was used.Police will investigate if the fire was deliberate and whether accelerant was used.
“We’ve got scientific officers on scene today, as you can appreciate with the crime scene that was confronted, some of those investigations couldn’t occur yesterday,” Det Marchesini said. “We’ve got scientific officers on scene today, as you can appreciate with the crime scene that was confronted, some of those investigations couldn’t occur yesterday,” Marchesini said.
“So that’s ongoing through the day today as we speak.”“So that’s ongoing through the day today as we speak.”
The family was known to police and had some interactions in the past with officers, Det Supt Marchesini said. The family was known to police and had some interactions in the past with officers, Marchesini said.
“It certainly was not a premises that police were regularly attending,” he said.“It certainly was not a premises that police were regularly attending,” he said.
The Toowoomba community was on Thursday still reeling from the incident, which Queensland Premier David Crisafulli called “unfathomable and horrific”. The Toowoomba community was on Thursday still reeling from the incident, which the Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, called “unfathomable and horrific”.
“We send our thoughts and prayers to the people of Toowoomba and thank the neighbours and first responders who rushed to help,” he said in a statement.“We send our thoughts and prayers to the people of Toowoomba and thank the neighbours and first responders who rushed to help,” he said in a statement.
“A full and thorough investigation into this tragedy must take place and we’ll ensure it does.”“A full and thorough investigation into this tragedy must take place and we’ll ensure it does.”
Local MP and state treasurer David Janetzki has offered support on the ground to students and staff at the kids’ school, and to neighbours. The local MP and state treasurer, David Janetzki, offered support on the ground to students and staff at the children’s school and to neighbours.