Queensland Father Denies Starting Fatal House Fire During Coroner's Inquest
A Brisbane coroner's inquest has heard explosive testimony from a father whose young son died in a house fire, as he vehemently denied suggestions that he deliberately started the blaze to discipline his children.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, became increasingly confrontational during three hours of evidence on Wednesday, rejecting claims that he burned his sons' clothes to teach them a lesson about keeping their room tidy.
The tragic incident occurred in 2017 at an off-grid dwelling on a rural property in southeast Queensland, where the father was living with his two young sons. Both children suffered devastating burns in the fire, with his pre-school aged boy later dying in hospital after being airlifted by helicopter.
Heated Exchange in Court
The father's testimony featured several expletive-laden outbursts as he challenged counsel assisting Kate Juhasz, frequently interrupting her questioning and accusing her of pursuing a false narrative.
Coroner Megan Fairweather was forced to intervene, asking the unrepresented father to show appropriate respect for the court process and use suitable language for the formal setting.
"If you could just answer questions to the best of your ability with appropriate language for a court setting," Fairweather said, while assuring she would intervene if questioning became unfair.
Conflicting Accounts
The inquest heard that the father's surviving son had made statements suggesting his father "made the fire with his lighter" and "used the lighter on my clothes."
When directly asked whether he had used a lighter to burn his son's belongings on the day of the fire, the father replied: "I don't believe so."
He maintained his account that he discovered a small fire in the boys' bedroom that rapidly exploded into a fireball, categorically denying any role in starting the blaze.
The father suggested his surviving son might have been confused by witnessing him burn a pile of rubbish that could have contained the boy's worn-out clothes on a previous occasion.
Memory Loss Claims
Under questioning about potential alcohol consumption and stress over custody battles with the boys' mother, the father claimed he could not recall specific details or dates.
"I have spent thousands of dollars having these memories erased by psychologists and hypnosis," he told the court. "I don't know what benefit I can be to you."
The inquest concluded on Wednesday with Coroner Fairweather offering her condolences to the father and his family members over the loss of the young boy.
The findings from this coronial investigation will be crucial in determining the circumstances surrounding the tragic death and whether any systemic issues need to be addressed to prevent similar incidents.