Two more children have died after a suspicious house fire in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, bringing the death toll to three.
Overnight, a four-year-old girl and seven-year-old girl died at Queensland Children’s Hospital from their injuries.
Neighbours rushed to help people escape the Toowoomba home on Merritt Street in Harristown after it went up in flames about 12.30am on Wednesday.
Six people managed to escape but a body – believed to be a missing nine-year-old boy – was later discovered in the house’s charred remains.
The residents were identified by Daily Mail Australia as 36-year-old Ellouisa Brighton Gibson, her 34-year-old partner Justin Gibson and their children.
An investigation has been launched into the cause of the blaze west of Brisbane, with police treating it as suspicious.
A neighbour said a resident of the home repeatedly yelled a name after escaping before a fourth child was confirmed missing.
The home remained a crime scene on Wednesday as police investigated the fire with homicide detectives called in.
‘Police are treating a house fire … as suspicious,’ Queensland Police said in a statement.
Two more children have died following a suspicious house fire in Toowoomba
Overnight, a four-year-old girl and seven-year-old girl died at Queensland Children’s Hospital
Queensland Police confirmed it is treating the fire as suspicious
‘At this time, police are not looking for anyone else in connection to this incident.’
The 36-year-old woman and two girls – aged four and seven – were airlifted to Brisbane hospitals in a critical condition.
The children died at the hospital overnight.
The woman remains in a critical condition at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital under police guard.
Two men were taken to a Toowoomba hospital with a 34-year-old in a stable condition with serious injuries while an 18-year-old is believed to have a hand injury.
They were discharged on Thursday morning.
An 11-year-old boy was uninjured, police said.
‘This is a tragic event and we are deeply saddened by this incident,’ Detective Inspector Renee Garske told reporters.
She confirmed investigations would include whether domestic violence played a role in the fire.
When asked if the seven people involved were related, Insp Garske said: ‘We are working through that information to determine the status of the relationships at that home address.’
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