An elderly man who suffered life-threatening burns while trying to rescue another person from a burning house on the Gold Coast has died, making the tragic incident even more devastating for those involved.
The man, identified as 84-year-old Bob Marsh, was among several people caught up in a fire that engulfed a home on Sickle Avenue, Hope Island, late on the night of 30 June. According to Queensland Police, the blaze is being treated as a suspected domestic violence-related incident.
Police allege a 38-year-old man deliberately started the fire inside a locked bedroom before dying in the blaze. At the time, five people were inside the house. As flames spread rapidly, Mr Marsh and another man, aged 44, attempted to force entry into the locked room in an effort to rescue the occupant. Both men suffered severe burns during the rescue attempt.
Despite being rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital with critical injuries, Mr Marsh later succumbed to his burns. The second rescuer remains in a critical condition receiving specialist treatment.
Other occupants escaped the inferno under dramatic circumstances. A woman and another man jumped from an upper-storey balcony to avoid the flames, while neighbours rushed to assist those trapped inside. Two nearby residents entered the property and helped drag the badly burned men from the garage area before emergency services arrived. Their actions have been widely praised by police and firefighters.
Emergency crews battled the intense fire for several hours before bringing it under control. The house sustained extensive structural damage, and investigators have since established a crime scene while forensic examinations continue.
Police revealed they had previously attended the address about a week before the fire following a domestic disturbance involving the now-deceased man and a woman living at the property. A domestic violence protection order had reportedly been issued after that earlier incident.
The deaths have shocked the Hope Island community, particularly because Mr Marsh lost his life while attempting to save another person. Investigators continue to examine the events leading up to the fire and are seeking information from witnesses, as well as CCTV or dashcam footage from the surrounding area.
Queensland Police have confirmed that a report will be prepared for the Coroner as investigations into the fatal fire continue. Authorities have urged anyone with relevant information to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
