A man has died in hospital after a house fire in Brisbane.
A man has died after a house fire in Hawthorne in Brisbane’s east.
The fire broke out at around 8pm on Forbes Street, destroying a home and damaging another two.
The 66-year-old man, Hugh Walker, was rescued and given first aid by neighbours before being taken to hospital, where he passed away on Sunday night.
Police say the severity of the damage caused by the fire is making investigations difficult, but that so far, the circumstances are not suspicious.
Police said that a woman inside the home at the time, who was believed to be Mr Walker’s wife, “saw smoke coming from the back of the dishwasher.”
Inspector Steve Newland said, “then, the male occupant went to investigate and found a fire at the rear of the property.”
The woman managed to escape from the house with minor injuries.
Inspector Newland described the scene as being “large and confronting scene.”
Those who witnessed the fire said that the “flames were easily 10 metres above the roof.”
“I heard a bang and I thought that was the Ekka, a few minutes later I heard another bang and I thought that doesn’t sound right,” a neighbour, Paul McKay told the ABC.
“I went on my balcony and I looked over and saw flames coming out of the top of a house.”
Mr Walker was well-known and loved in his community.
Another neighbour, Peter Tarrant, told the ABC, “Hugh’s a community member that helps the whole street out, so he certainly has a big heart.”
Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing and police are preparing a report for the coroner.
