An investigation into a violent house fire that led to one death and forced six others to flee will consider any history of domestic violence amongst the residents.
Authorities were on Wednesday combing through the charred remains of the Harristown property, 130km west of Brisbane, after the tragedy that also left three people with critical burns.
Emergency services rushed to the property after midnight to find it alight.
Six people fled the home, including a 34-year-old man, a 36-year-old woman and four children.
However, a fifth child was unaccounted for when police arrived at the scene in the early hours of Wednesday.
The woman and two girls – a toddler and a primary school-aged child – were rushed to Toowoomba Hospital with critical burn injuries.
A primary school-aged boy who suffered burns and a teenager who suffered a hand injury were taken to hospital.
The man is in a serious condition in hospital.
After fire crews extinguished the blaze, a body was found inside the property.
Queensland Police haven’t confirmed if the body is that of the missing child.
A forensic examination is under way to identify the remains.
“This is a tragic event and we are deeply saddened by this incident,” Detective Inspector Renee Garske told reporters.
“Our hearts go out to the Toowoomba community at this time and the family and friends of the persons involved in this incident.”
A crime scene has been declared as police investigate the cause of the blaze and after homicide detectives were called in.
Police have confirmed the two adults and the children inside the home are related.
Det Insp Garske also confirmed police would consider any history of domestic violence, reports there was an argument before the fire and reports the woman went to a police station on Tuesday.
“We are in the infancy of the investigation, so that will formulate part of our investigation,” she said.
Det Insp Garske was also asked whether the fire was lit deliberately and if that was also part of the investigation.
“We always establish a crime scene in relation to any tragic events, and we’ll determine that through the course of our investigations,” she said.
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