Source : Perth Now news
A devastating house fire that tore through a rural Queensland property has taken a tragic turn, with human remains now located amid the wreckage as forensic teams work to formally identify the victims.
Emergency services were called to a Booyal Crossing Rd property at Good Night Scrub, near Bundaberg, about 9.15pm on Saturday to find the house engulfed in flames.
Seven Queensland Fire Department crews were deployed and brought the blaze under control by about 10.30pm, but the home was already destroyed.
Chief Inspector Grant Marcus said the fire had taken hold before crews arrived.
“Unfortunately, the house was too well inflamed and there was very little that people could do about that at that point in time,” Inspector Marcus said.
“The house was fully engulfed … there’s very little remaining of it.”
A 75-year-old man and a 79-year-old woman who lived at the property, remain formally unaccounted for.
Police confirmed on Wednesday that human remains have now been located during ongoing investigations at the scene. Forensic examinations are underway to identify the remains.
Investigators have declared the site a crime scene, with the fire being treated as suspicious.
“This is normal practice under these circumstances,” Inspector Marcus said.
He said extent of the structural damage made the site extremely hazardous, with investigators working to safely access parts of the property.
“It’s a very dangerous sort of situation for police and fire service employees to be working in”.
Specialist scientific officers from Brisbane were deployed to assist, using drone technology to help pinpoint where the fire may have started.
“We can also use that footage to zoom in on certain parts of the house and also try and use that equipment to identify where the main heat source may have been,” Inspector Marcus said.
Police said the property was likely to remain a crime scene for several days as forensic work continues, with investigators urging anyone with information or vision to come forward.
