Four-year-old twins die after fire in house near Byron Bay

Police have described the deaths of twin girls in a house fire near Byron Bay as unbelievably devastating, as they investigate whether a candle left on top of a piano sparked the blaze.

The two girls, aged four, died from smoke inhalation at a house at Goonengerry, 30 kilometres west of Byron Bay, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A member of the public holding a bouquet of flowers outside the home where twin four-year-old girls died following a house fire in Goonengerry, west of Byron Bay. Credit:AAP

Arson squad detectives have travelled to the North Coast to assist with investigations into the cause of the blaze, with initial reports suggesting it may have been sparked by a burning candle left atop a piano, which began smouldering and emitting toxic fumes.

The twins were sleeping “fairly close” to the piano at the time, police said on Sunday afternoon.

“There were people present in close proximity of where the incident occurred,” said Tweed-Byron Police District Commander Superintendent Dave Roptell.

“The people at the scene obviously went in to check and saw what they saw and police were called.”

Emergency services arrived at around 4am and found the fire smouldering, with low-level flames. They performed CPR, but the girls could not be revived.

Police were still making inquiries as to whether there were any smoke alarms fitted at the property.

Superintendent Roptell praised the response of emergency services who arrived to the harrowing scene. “The first responders down at the scene, what they had to see and deal with,” he said.

“It’s unbelievably devastating to see … anyone die in these circumstances. But two four-year-old females, it’s just a tragic set of circumstances.”

Twin girls have died in a house fire near Byron Bay.Credit:Nine News

A woman at the scene was also treated for shock.

The single-storey property, which is on Mafeking Road in Goonengerry, is part of a multi-occupancy community.

Damage to the building was mostly due to smoke and not fire, with no major structural damage.

Goonengerry is a scenic hamlet on the road between Federal and Mullumbimby, with a close-knit population of around 350 residents.

A member of the public tearfully laid flowers at the scene on Sunday.

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