Latest news with #OperationXrayPaxton
Sky News AU
07-05-2025
- Sky News AU
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 or by calling 131 444.
7NEWS
07-05-2025
- 7NEWS
Two more children dead after horrific house fire in Toowoomba
Two sisters have died in hospital following a ferocious house fire which also killed a young boy and injured several family members. Just after midnight on Wednesday a home on Merritt St in Harristown, Toowoomba, became engulfed in flames. Six people, including four children, managed to escape as the fire took hold however a fifth child did not make it out in time. Following a search of the property firefighters located a body believed to be that of a nine-year-old boy near the front door of the home. He has not yet been formally identified. Five family members were injured in the blaze — including two sisters aged four and seven who were taken to Queensland Children's Hospital. On Thursday morning police confirmed the girls had died overnight. A 36-year-old woman who was airlifted to Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital with serious injuries remains in a critical condition under police guard. A 34-year-old and 18-year-old man were hospitalised but have since been discharged. An 11-year-old boy was uninjured. Police won't confirm if there was any history of domestic violence within the family or if they'd been called to this house before. The fire is being treated as suspicious. 'The house remains a crime scene and is currently being forensically examined as part of Operation Xray Paxton with assistance from the Homicide Investigation Unit,' police sad.'Police are continuing to treat the fire as suspicious, are not looking for anyone else in connection to this incident at this time.' Acting Superintendent Scott Stahlhut said investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. 'We are in the early stages and working closely with forensics and scientific teams to get a clear picture of what happened,' he said. 'We are deeply saddened by this incident.' 'Our hearts go out to the Toowoomba community and to the family and friends involved.' Queensland Fire Department station manager Neil Goodman said crews who arrived at the scene first were greeted by a 'wall of flame and heavy smoke'. The front area of the house was mostly impacted. 'The guys had quite ... a difficult time making access and getting in to conduct a primary search,' Goodman said. He said he spoke to one of the family members who was 'hysterical' and told crews where the missing child might be. 'We're all fathers, we've all got children, so it's always hard, it's a little bit harder when it's sort of similar to your own situation,' Goodman said. Neighbour Jennifer Smith described the blaze as 'intense'. 'Little children were burnt and they were taken away in the ambulance,' she told 7NEWS. She said the family were always friendly and the children often played in the front yard. Anyone who has any information or relevant dashcam or CCTV vision has been urged to come forward.
