The bodies of four people have been found in the charred remains of a house destroyed by an early morning blaze in central Queensland.
The blaze erupted before 7am on Thursday in the regional town, approximately 270km west of Rockhampton.
The bodies were discovered after emergency services extinguished the fire at Emerald in central Queensland.
A crime scene has been declared, with police and fire investigators launching a major investigation, a Queensland Police Service spokesperson said.
Police have not released details identifying the four people killed.
Premier David Crisafulli said the tragedy would send ripples through the entire community.
“It’s the kind of event that rocks all communities, but particularly smaller communities,” he said.
“The connections of school and sport and community groups, and emergency services personnel, the tragedy will ripple right throughout that community.
“This is an incredible tragedy.
Crisafulli conveyed heartfelt condolences on behalf of the government, acknowledging the profound and distressing nature of the situation.
The blaze comes less than a month after an alleged arson attack killed a mother and two young boys at Gladstone, regional Queensland, on 15 October.
Jordana Johnson, 36, her 12-year-old son Jordan Norris and his friend Chazz Mather, also 12, were killed.
Police said they believed the blaze was deliberately lit, charging a 37-year-old Toolooa woman with three counts of murder and two counts of arson.
