Girl killed in Thorneside unit fire identified as babysitter remains unaccounted for

A young girl who died in a fire east of Brisbane on Sunday morning has been identified as eight-year-old Raven.

Raven was being babysat when the unit in Bayside Ct in Thorneside caught fire about 7.15am.

It is understood the 30-year-old woman, who remains unaccounted for, was her babysitter, and emergency services said they believe the woman was inside the burnt home, however a collapsed roof has impacted search efforts.

Raven’s parents returned home hours later as smoke was still pouring from the townhouses, which had been extinguished by 22 firefighters about by 8am.

Raven suffered life-threatening injuries, Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) said, and police confirmed her body was located by emergency services.

Neighbours at the scene tried frantically to assist, using washing baskets to dump water over the fence, and an off-duty firefighter who had just arrived home from a shift turned a nearby hose on the units.

“There were a lot of people just screaming and yelling,” neighbour Kylie Spalding told 7NEWS.

”It was out of control, people were trying to run in there, but it was, you know, just black smoke.

“It’s horrible, and it’s tragic.”

Queensland Police Service (QPS) Chief Inspector Karl Hahne said he “tips his hat” to all those who did their best to assist.

“It’s a confronting scene for all emergency services and, I’m quite sure, for the residents,” he said.

“Our thoughts go out to the family that are affected by this.”

The cause of the fire remains unknown and investigations are ongoing.