Tributes to little girl and babysitter killed in Brisbane fire
Loved ones of an eight-year-old girl and her 31-year-old babysitter killed in a fire in Brisbane have paid tribute to the pair.
Raven, eight, was being cared for by Stephanie Ryan, a family friend visiting from Alice Springs, when a townhouse in Thorneside caught alight yesterday.
The little girl's body was found in the hours after the fire but it wasn't until today that police located Ryan's remains.
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Raven, eight, was killed in the fire. Supplied
Ryan's grandmother, Thelma Cowell, was inconsolable as she visited the site of the tragedy today.
"A loveable child," she said.
"Annoying," she added jokingly, "but she was a loveable child."
Raven's family also visited the scene to lay flowers, her poppy telling 9News he wanted the world to know how loved the eight-year-old was.
Raven's heartbroken relatives Robert Arthur Rodgers-Falk and Christine Mary Rodgers-Falk have told 9News: "She loved shopping, she loved socialising, she was a very special, very well-loved eight-year-old girl.
"Her nickname was 'Turtle' ... she was very pretty and she lifted us up when we saw her."
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Raven, eight, was being cared for by Stephanie Ryan, a family friend visiting from Alice Springs, when a townhouse in Thorneside caught alight yesterday. Nine
Raven's family also visited the scene to lay flowers, her poppy telling 9News he wanted the world to know how loved the eight-year-old was. Nine
9News understands Raven's mother Chloe Louise Davidson and stepfather Matthew Glen Rodgers-Falk were in Ballina at the time of the fire.
Emergency services were called to Bayside Court in Thorneside about 7.15am yesterday to find the townhouse well alight.
The flames spread rapidly and were visible from several suburbs over.
Brave neighbours rushed to the scene, scaling fences and using hoses and buckets of water to try and battle the fire.
"I've got my own kids and I just kicked into gear," neighbour Zac Benjiman told 9News.
Thick smoke was seen billowing from the multi-storey property, where the roof collapsed and surrounding buildings were left charred.
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It could be days before the cause of the blaze is determined. 9News
Queensland Police Service Chief Inspector Karl Hahne said the units were "burning very hot" and multiple efforts were made by first responders and neighbours to enter the premises.
"It's a confronting scene for all emergency services, and I'm quite sure for the residents and our hearts go out to the families affected by this," Hahne said.
"Anyone who assists anybody in the time of need, we tip our hat to them.
"For the next few hours and even the next couple of days, this scene will be an ongoing investigation."
Due to the intensity of the fire, it is still too hot for investigators to gain access safely, meaning it could be days before the cause and origin of the blaze can be determined.
Authorities have not ruled if the fire was suspicious or an accident.
A man was also taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.
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