Queensland examines smoke alarm failures after father and five children die
At a preliminary hearing ahead of a coronial inquest on Russell Island in Queensland, Australia, it was reported that the homeowner had repeatedly been warned about improperly installed smoke alarms. A 34-year-old father and five children died in the fire on 6 August 2023.
As The Guardian World reports, none of the witnesses remembers hearing a smoke alarm before or during the fire. In 2024, the owner was fined 774 Australian dollars — the maximum amount provided for under Queensland law for improperly installed alarms. No conviction was recorded.
Fire circumstances
The fire engulfed a two-storey wooden house that was moved to the island and renovated in 2013, after which it was rented out privately. The children’s parents fell asleep in a fitted-out recreation area beneath the house. The man woke up because of thick black smoke and ran to the second floor, where the children were sleeping.
His partner also tried to enter the house but was forced to retreat because of the fire. Another adult woman jumped from a balcony and survived. A paramedic arrived at the scene at about 6:26 but could not enter the building because of the intense flames and instead evacuated residents of neighbouring houses. Rural firefighters arrived at 6:35.
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Questions for the investigation
The hearing also addressed poor electrical wiring, an exposed electrical box and faulty power outlets prone to short circuits. An extension cord ran from a double adapter in the children’s bedroom to the space beneath the house, and the outlet was not functioning properly.
The smoke alarms had not been upgraded in accordance with the requirements of the 2017 legislation, which applied to tenancy agreements renewed after January 2022. The children’s mother said she had informed the owner about the non-working alarms, but no action was taken. The owner claimed he was unaware of the legislative changes.
Deputy State Coroner Donald MacKenzie is to examine seven issues, including whether properly installed alarms could have prevented the deaths and whether the emergency services response was adequate. Investigators have not established the cause of the fire and cannot definitively rule out deliberate arson. The main hearing is scheduled for November: it is expected to last 10 days, with 16 witnesses planned to testify.
