Community Mourns After Devastating Blaze
A quiet Sunday morning in the Moreton Bay suburb of Lawton was shattered by tragedy when a fierce house fire claimed the life of a 13-year-old girl and left four of her family members with life-threatening injuries.
The victim has been identified as Savannah Kerr, a young girl remembered by her community for her adventurous spirit and gentle nature. The blaze erupted at the two-storey brick home on Darcy Way shortly after 5.30am on Sunday.
Neighbours Witness Horror
Emergency services rushed to the scene after neighbours reported the home was fully engulfed in flames and reported hearing explosions. John McWha, a neighbour, described the terrifying scene. "The fire brigade came around, they were quickly in there and the next minute the whole place just exploded," he said. "There were people you could see trying to help but the flames were just horrendous."
The inferno gutted the home in a matter of minutes, causing the roof to collapse. A man and a woman, both in their 30s, managed to escape the burning building with severe burns. They were accompanied by two other teenagers.
All four were rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a critical condition. As of Monday afternoon, they were reported to be in a critical but stable condition.
Investigation Points to E-Scooter
The street remained closed for most of Sunday as fire investigators began their crucial work. On Monday, the scene remained an active crime scene, with investigators demolishing part of a wall to gain better access to the rubble.
Police are still working to determine the exact cause of the fire. Detective Senior Sergeant Joseph Zitny confirmed that one line of inquiry is focusing on a potential issue with an electric scooter or another battery-powered device. "There are some vehicles, an e-scooter and perhaps an e-bike, but that’s still forming part of our investigations," he stated.
As investigators sifted through the wreckage, friends, neighbours, and family visited the property to pay their respects. They left floral tributes and shared heartfelt memories of Savannah.
Family friend Daniel Cannon expressed the community's grief. "It’s so heartbreaking to see her gone," he said. "She was young, playful and always keen for adventure, that’s all she wanted to do was go on an adventure."
Neighbour Marissa Kyle added, "They were lovely people. They kept to themselves but loved going out on motorbikes and jetskis every weekend."
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli extended his condolences, stating, "It’s incredibly tragic and it involves some young people and that is heartbreaking."
A GoFundMe page has been launched to support the family of one of the critically injured teenagers. The fundraiser reveals the girl remains on life support with third-degree burns covering around 30 per cent of her upper body, as well as life-threatening burns to her oesophagus and lungs. Her father has had to stop work to remain by her side in Brisbane.
The investigation into the cause of the devastating Queensland fire continues.
