Brisbane car fire: Three children killed after family car set ablaze in 'horrific' incident in Australia

Father of children, who were all under age of 10, also dead in fire, while their mother suffered severe burns

Three young children and their father have died in what police described as a “horrific” car fire in Brisbane, Australia.

Ex-rugby player Rowan Baxter, 42, and his children aged six, four and three were found dead at the suburban scene at around 8.30am on Wednesday.

Hannah Baxter, the children's mother, was also in the car at the time and is being treated for severe burns at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Residents told Australian media that the woman was seen jumping out of the vehicle while on fire, screaming: “He’s poured petrol on me.”

The incident took place in the Camp Hill neighbourhood, south-east of the city centre. Police and emergency services arrived at the scene to find the car already ablaze, and it took 15 minutes to bring the fire under control. The car was reportedly found near the home of Ms Baxter’s parents.

Neighbour Murray Campbell told the Sydney Morning Herald he heard multiple explosions from his back garden and came running out to see the car “engulfed in flames”.

He said he called emergency services when he heard the explosions, adding that “the rest is just horrible”.

Speaking to reporters, Det Inspector Mark Thompson said: “I've seen some horrific scenes, this is up there with ... them.”

Asked about the possibility of family violence being involved, he said: “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 is inappropriate for us to try and do that.”

A sixth person who was injured in the fire was described by police as a passer-by who stepped in and “tried his best to get to the car”. An ambulance service spokesperson said he suffered “facial burning” and had been taken to hospital.

Both Mr and Ms Baxter, 31, worked as fitness instructors and ran a Brisbane gym named Integr8 Fitness. Mr Baxter was a former winger for the New Zealand Warriors, an Auckland team that competes in Australia's National Rugby League, while Ms Baxter represented Australia in trampoline sports, according to the Daily Telegraph Australia.

One employee at Integr8 said the gym was closed down before December with Mr and Ms Baxter undergoing a marriage separation.

Queensland police minister Mark Ryan updated the state parliament on the incident on Wednesday, saying “today is a very sad day”. He said: “As members of parliament, we get to see the best of people and the worst of people. We can see the frailty of the human condition, we can see how precious life is.”

Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, said the news was "devastating". He wrote on Twitter: "My heart goes out to the families and community going through this tragic time and the emergency responders confronting what would be a shattering scene."