After Hannah Clarke escaped the burning wreckage of her car, which was set alight in a domestic violence attack, she screamed out for her children who were stuck inside.
WARNING: This story contains content that readers may find distressing.
Harrowing accounts of the scene were recounted by first responders on the second day of an inquest into the death of the Brisbane family.
Off-duty paramedic Stephanie Ring was one of the first people to come to the aid of Ms Clarke, after she fled the car that had been ambushed by her estranged husband.
Despite Ms Clarke having severe burns to 97 per cent of her body, Ms Ring told the court the 31-year-old's main concern was for her children.
The car had been doused in petrol by Ms Clarke's estranged husband Rowan Baxter, and "exploded in flames", according to witnesses of the February 2020 attack.
Ms Clarke's three children — Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3 — died in the back seat.
Ms Clarke later died in hospital.
'No chance' to save them
Firefighter Anthony Eggins, who was called to the scene, told the inquest he saw the car "fully involved in fire" as he approached.
He quickly formed the view "any persons inside were already dead" and stood "no chance".
"There was no help for them," the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services officer told the coroner.
In an official statement provided to the court, Mr Eggins also said "it was blatantly obvious that anyone still inside the car was not coming out".
'Incredibly brave'
One of the first police officers on the scene, Angus Skaines, became emotional as he described how Ms Clarke was determined to provide officers with a detailed description of the attack, despite her extensive and painful injuries.
"She was significantly burned and in a lot of pain," he said.
"She was able to tell me a lot of details of what had happened.
Senior Constable Skaines said Ms Clarke told him she was driving her children to school, when her estranged husband jumped into the car while holding a jerry can, and "told her to drive".
The officer said Ms Clarke told him that Baxter said he wanted to see the children, and that she told him to get out of the car.
The officer told the court Ms Clarke said: "Rowan's poured petrol all through the car and set it on fire."
Ms Clarke also told the officer of a domestic violence protection order against Baxter, and said she had contacted police over previous domestic violence incidents.
Another first responder, the medical director of the Queensland Ambulance Service, Dr Stephen Rashford, said the only part of Ms Clarke's body not affected by burns was her feet.
"I felt the priority was to anaesthetise her very early to take away any distress and pain," he said.
"We reassured her as much as we could and wanted to basically say we would take any pain away and that we hoped she would wake up in hospital and be in a better place.
"That's always a very difficult conversation to have with anyone.
"I found her incredibly courageous."
Baxter died at the scene. The inquest continues.
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2022-03-22 02:30:02Z
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