A man has been charged with arson as a domestic violence offence after a house was destroyed by fire north of Brisbane yesterday.
Police will allege a 36-year-old man used accelerant to start a fire at a house on Weaber Street in Clontarf about 1:50pm before fleeing.
“He was located a short time later by a police dog squad unit,” police said in a statement.
The blaze destroyed the house and spread to two adjoining properties. No one was physically injured in the incident.
It is the house of Ben Beaumont and Michelle Liddle, whose 15-year-old son, Angus Beaumont, was murdered in 2020.
In a post on social media, the couple, who own a gardening business, thanked the community for their support.
They said they would have to close their business for a week or two while they rebuild equipment and find a place to live.
It took 10 crews about two hours to control the blaze at Clontarf. (ABC News)
Queensland Fire Department Superintendent Mark Halverson said on Saturday it took 34 firefighters about two hours to control the flames.
Family and domestic violence support services:1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732DV Connect Women’s Line: 1800 811 811MensLine: 1300 789 978Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800Lifeline (24-hour Crisis Line): 13 11 14
“The fire in the three houses that have been affected was severely intense, and they had to do a great job to stop the spread to further dwellings,” he said.
An emergency declaration was made due to the smoke, with nearby residents urged to evacuate.
Speaking at the scene, Acting Inspector Jason Higgs said police were en route to an alleged domestic violence-related disturbance when it was reported the house was on fire.
A 36-year-old Dakabin man has been charged with one count of arson as a domestic violence offence and will appear in the Redcliffe Magistrates Court on Monday, June 1.