Woman under police guard as death toll following 'suspicious' Toowoomba house fire rises to three children
Three children have died following a fatal house fire in Toowoomba, Queensland, which is being treated as suspicious, as a woman remains in hospital under police guard.
Emergency services were called to Merrit Street in the suburb of Harristown around 12.30am on Wednesday morning following reports that a property was on fire.
Firefighters found the home fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.
Six people initially escaped the blaze.
A child was unaccounted for, and Queensland Police later confirmed a body believed to be of a nine-year-old boy was found inside the house, however the child is yet to be formally identified.
Two girls aged four and seven who were hospitalised with critical injuries died overnight at Queensland Children's Hospital, Queensland Police confirmed.
Police are treating the fire as suspicious.
A 36-year-old woman who was critically injured is under police guard at Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital.
A 34-year-old man was hospitalised with serious injuries and an 18-year-old man has been treated for non-life threatening injuries.
An 11-year-old boy was uninjured.
Darling Downs District Detective Inspector Renee Garske spoke to media on Wednesday and called the fire a "tragic event".
"We are deeply saddened by this incident," Detective Inspector Garske said.
A crime scene has been set up at the property and is being examined by forensic personnel with help from the homicide investigation unit as part of Operation Xray Paxton.
Police are currently not looking for anyone else in relation to the fatal fire but are urging anyone with relevant footage or information to come forward as investigations into the cause of the fire continue.
Information can be provided to police by contacting Policelink at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or by calling 131 444.
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