Two teenagers have died after suffering horrific burns in a suspicious house fire in north Queensland, as police launch an investigation.
Emergency services were called to the two-storey house on Chandler Street in Garbutt, Townsville, after locals spotted smoke at around 3pm on Friday.
Two 18-year-old men were rushed to Townsville University Hospital after being rescued from the home by neighbours.
One of the teenagers died overnight while the second man was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a critical condition.
He passed away on Saturday morning.
Queensland Police are treating the fire as suspicious.
South Townsville station officer Stephen Hourn said the flames did not spread to any other properties and firefighters battled the blaze for about an hour.
“The house suffered significant fire, smoke and water damage,” he said.
Emergency services were called to the two-storey house on Chandler Street in Garbutt, Townsville, after local residents spotted smoke at around 3pm on Friday (house fire shown)
A neighbor said he heard “three explosions” before the fire broke out.
Another man said he helped rescue the men from the house.
“There was a big fire… there were a lot of people, fire trucks, police, everything, it was quite hectic,” he told 7News.
“I saw flames coming out of the kitchen area and then I saw smoke.”
Police have urged anyone with CCTV or video footage from Chandler Street at the time of the fire to come forward.
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