A Nigerian man, Stanley Obi, and his girlfriend have been set ablaze by his former partner and mother of his kids at his home in New Beith, Brisbane’s southern suburbs of Australia.
Police are unravelling the troubled history of a former couple involved in a Logan house fire that has left both of them dead.
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Stanley Obi, 33, a Nigerian died in hospital after sustaining critical burns to 90 per cent of his body when his former partner, Sarah Mudge, allegedly doused him and his new girlfriend with petrol and set them on fire.
Queensland police said Mr Obi died at 10pm
The incident occurred after a court matter involving the pair had been finalised.
His girlfriend, 30, escaped the house with minor burns to her throat and was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for observation.
Neighbours said the blaze had left them traumatised.
Ms Mudge, 31, is believed to have perished in the fire as it engulfed the home on Bidyan Boulevard in Logan, south of Brisbane.
An autopsy will be conducted on a woman’s body found in the burnt-out house to confirm the identity.
Police said Ms Mudge somehow gained entry to the home and petrol was thought to have been “thrown around”.
Police have since been investigating the pair’s complicated relationship, which spilled over into the court system.
In the past year the pair took out domestic violence orders against each other, legal sources have told ABC News.
Mr Obi was a care manager for the Aveo Group’s Newstead retirement community in Brisbane.
He bought the Logan property in 2019 and built the house where he has lived for the past several months.
Neighbours describe horrific scene
A number of neighbours of Mr Obi, who did not want to be named, spoke about what they witnessed to raise awareness of domestic violence.
One recounted how they were alerted to the horrific events occurring next door.
“I got woken up to someone banging on the glass door and I could hear words to the effect ‘call the police’.
“I switched on the lights … I could see a man who was completely naked.
“He was banging on the glass door, yelling: ‘Call the police, call the police.’
“With the lights, I could figure out it was Stan, my neighbour.”
The neighbour said he quickly realised the severity of the situation, with Mr Obi also asking him to call an ambulance.
“When I looked at him, I thought he was burnt.
“So when my wife went to call the police, I took a walk down towards my garage and through the window, I saw Stan’s house, which was ablaze, smoke coming out from the windows.”
Another neighbour who was with Mr Obi when emergency services were on their way said it was a traumatic experience.
“He was just obviously in an incredible amount of pain. Apparently he’s a nurse and he just kept saying to us, ‘I’m critical one, I need help straightaway. Tell them I’m critical one, I need assistance straightaway, I’m going to die.’
One neighbour said what happened would be with them for life.
“Considering what’s happened, we all feel unsafe in our homes,” they said.
“None of us could sleep last night because of the flashbacks, as soon as we close our eyes, we get all these flashbacks of what happened, the graphic scenes that we saw.”
‘He will be greatly missed’
In a statement, an Aveo Group spokesperson said Mr Obi had been a valuable and respected team member for some time.
“He will be greatly missed,” the spokesperson said.
“We know that this news will impact a number of the staff and residents at Aveo, with whom he worked with closely.
“We will be providing counselling services to support all staff and residents.
“We will also do all we can to support Stanley’s family through this devastating time.
“Our thoughts are with Stanley’s children and his family.”
Fire crews were called to the property shortly before 3am on Thursday where they discovered a body believed to be that of Ms Mudge.
Police are yet to formally identify the woman’s body because the home’s collapsed roof has hampered forensic team’s efforts.
Ms Mudge, a mother of six, had been living in a rented house in the Ipswich suburb of Leichhardt where she ran a portrait photography company.
Police are urging anyone who knows Ms Mudge, Mr Obi or any relations close to the pair to contact CrimeStoppers or the Logan District CIB.
Investigators will prepare a report for the state coroner.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the incident was an “absolutely tragedy”.
“To wake up and read that news and hear that news is devastating. Domestic and family violence has to stop. There are far too many tragedies,” she said.
“We need a society that values equality, that is respectful. In terms of the police response, I am sure that there will be a thorough coronial inquest into this.”
