SHOCK FAMILY DEATHS
FOUR DIE IN CAR FIRE:
A MAN who died alongside his three young children when a car erupted into flames in Brisbane had posted online comments saying he missed them all.
Rowan Baxter died alongside his children Laianah, Aaliyah and Trey on a quiet suburban street in Brisbane’s east yesterday morning.
His wife, Hannah, remains in a critical condition in hospital with significant burns.
Police said it was too early to tell whether it was murdersuicide or an accident, although one witness told News
Corp Ms Hannah ran from the car screaming “he’s poured petrol on me”.
A member of the New Zealand Warriors NRL squad in the mid-2000s without playing a first grade game, Mr Baxter had until recently run a Brisbane fitness centre with his wife, who was a trampolining champion.
The pair had reportedly separated late last year, and were trying to work out custody arrangements.
However, they were not involved in any proceedings in the Family Court or Federal Court.
Mr Baxter’s Facebook profile is littered with pictures of his three children, all aged under 10, along with comments he “loves them to the moon and back” and “daddy misses you all”.
Five days ago, friend Joey Abraham wrote under a photo of little Trey: “Chin up brother everything will work out, just hang in there my bro, a lot of people care about you and the situation your (sic) facing.”
Neighbours reported hearing multiple explosions before seeing the car engulfed in flames in Raven St at Camp Hill about 8.30am.
A man who tried to help at the scene was also taken to hospital with facial burns.
Police will not comment on how the fire started. “How the fire actually occurred has not been ascertained at the moment, so for us to call it a murder-suicide or a tragic accident – it’s inappropriate at this stage,” detective Inspector Mark Thompson said.
“I’ve seen some horrific scenes – this is up there with some of the best of them.
“It’s a terrible thing to be presented with.”
Paramedic Adrian Tong said seven vehicles with firstresponders and doctors were sent to the scene.
The first crews to arrive were confronted with dead people and the car on fire, he said, but the inferno was extinguished shortly after.
Neighbour Murray Campbell said he heard a number of loud bangs.
“It sounded very much like a gas cylinder explosion,” he said.
He said he called triple-0, and did not see anyone run from the car, which was engulfed in flames.
“It was just horrible, multiple explosions, very loud,” he said.
The couple’s Integr8 fitness website described Ms Baxter as “an enthusiastic, passionate mother of three”.
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