an eAn eight-year-old girl has died in a horrific house fire in early Brisbane’s southeast and her nanny is feared dead too.
Large flames engulfed the family home in Bayside Court, Thorneside, within minutes on Sunday morning, with fire so fierce it was seen from several miles away.
Firefighters were alerted around 7.15am and arrived at the scene within minutes, but were unable to save Raven Contini, whose body was found inside the fire-ravaged house.
His mother Chloe Louise Davidson and stepfather Matthew Glen Rodgers-Falk were in Ballina, northern New South Wales, at the time and made the 190km journey home as soon as they heard the news. 9News reported.
As of Sunday night, the family’s babysitter, Stephanie Ryan, was still missing.
Authorities strongly believe the woman’s body is inside the destroyed home.
Raven’s distraught family broke their silence on Sunday night to pay a heartbreaking tribute to the little girl.
“I loved to cook, I loved to shop, I love to socialize, a very special and much loved eight-year-old girl,” Christine Mary and Robert Arthur Rodgers-Falk said in a statement.
Eight-year-old Raven Contini (pictured) died in a horrific fire at her home early Sunday morning.
‘NORTHThey nicknamed her Turtle.
‘She was very pretty.
“It lifted us up when we saw it.”
Neighbors rushed to the scene, jumping over fences as they ran toward the burning house.
They used hoses and buckets of water to try to fight the fire.
Neighbor Zac Benjamin ran to the back fence but was unable to enter the house because of how hot the fire was.
“I have kids of my own and I just hit the ground running,” she said.
Paramedics also treated a man for smoke inhalation at the scene.
Raven is pictured with her mother Chloe Louise Davidson and stepfather Matthew Glen Rodgers-Falk.
It took more than 20 firefighters almost an hour to control the fire.
“Efforts were made to enter the scene and extinguish the fire,” Queensland Police Service Chief Inspector Karl Hahne said.
‘There was some support from neighbors and surrounding people to control it.
“Anyone who helps someone in a time of need, we take our hats off to them.”
The intensity of the fire meant the house was still too hot for safe access and smoke was still billowing from the house.
Neighbors rushed to the scene, jumping the fence and running towards the burning house (pictured)
“It is still active and the Queensland Fire Department is working to make it safe,” Inspector Hahne said.
It could be days before the cause of the fire can be determined.
The roof of the destroyed house collapsed in the fire, while two adjoining properties were also damaged.