Mourners gather to remember Gladstone house fire victims Jordana Johnson, Jordan Norris and Chazz Mather
More than a thousand people gathered on a beach in central Queensland to remember the three people killed in the house fire in Gladstone earlier this month.
Mother Jordana Johnson (36), her son Jordan Norris (13) and his friend Chazz Mather (12) died in a fire that broke out in a two-storey house in Toolooa on October 15.
On Saturday, mourners gathered at Barney Point Beach to say goodbye to Ms. Johnson and the two children.
Mourners laid flowers on the beach and in the water and hugged each other as they remembered the three victims.
The memorial service included a smoking ceremony and traditional dances.
A powerful Haka performance was performed for Chazz, a member of the town’s Maori community.
Gladstone MP Glenn Butcher described the memorial as “a beautiful community gathering in honor of Jordana, Jordan and Chazz”.
“Their light and love will always be remembered,” he said on social media.
Emergency services were called to the fire at around 6am that day.
A Queensland Fire Department spokesperson told NewsWire that six fire crews were called to battle the blaze and that the house was “fully involved in flames” by the time firefighters arrived at the scene.
“There was also structural collapse,” he said.
“The fire was quite serious. Crews were not able to make the initial call until the fire was under control.”
Fire crews took the fire under control around 08:00.
Police have charged Gladstone woman Contessa Leigh Marie Richardson, 37, with three counts of murder and arson in connection with the horror blaze.
He appeared in court for a bedside hearing on Friday and was denied bail.
