A father testified at a 2026 inquest into a 2017 fire that killed his son and burned his younger son, denying claims of abuse and arson.

A Queensland father testified at a coronial inquest into a 2017 house fire that killed his son and severely burned his younger brother, describing bursting into a flaming room and seeing a fireball. He denied allegations of domestic violence and alcoholism, claiming trauma led him to seek therapy, and criticized the questioning as intrusive. Audio revealed him yelling at his children during a call with a new partner. The boys’ grandmother said she heard a bang, saw the children covered in blisters, and heard the older boy stop speaking. The surviving child made multiple statements suggesting his father intentionally started the fire, including claims he blew out a candle three times to ignite it. The inquest continues.