Queensland police smashed their way through a fence to rescue a woman and her toddler trapped in their backyard as fire engulfed their house.
A 39-year-old woman fled the Gold Coast house but a 79-year-old woman and a four-year-old girl ran into the backyard and were trapped in the fenced off pool area, police say.
Officers broke through a wooden fence to reach the pair.
One of the officers entered the burning house to search for others and emerged from the blaze with the family’s two dogs.
Neighbours have told of hearing screams coming from the Elanora home after the fire broke out about 9am today.
No-one was injured in the blaze, which started in a car and quickly spread to the two-storey timber home, the Department of Community Safety said.
‘‘Everyone is accounted for and we were able to protect all the surrounding properties.
Fire investigators are at the scene,’’ a spokesman from the department said.
Neighbour Grant Lazzaro said he took the baby as police helped the adults escape.
‘‘I heard a loud explosion,’’ he told The Gold Coast Bulletin.
‘‘I thought it was a car accident at first but then I saw lots of smoke and heard a lady scream. The house went up very quick.’’
Three fire crews had the blaze out by about 10.20am.
AAP
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