Former Rugby star and three children die in car fire tragedy

Witnesses reported seeing a woman on fire leap from the burning car (Image: COURTESY)

Former NRL star Rowan Baxter, who played for the New Zealand Warriors, was reportedly killed alongside three children in a horrifying incident in Brisbane

Former rugby league star Rowan Baxter has been identified as one of four killed in a car fire tragedy in Brisbane, Australia.

Witnesses saw a woman leap out of a burning car on fire on Raven Street in Camp Hill, screaming "he's poured petrol on me", Australia's Daily Telegraph reports.

A neighbour told The Courier-Mail a man rushed across the road to assist the woman with a hose and bucket of water having been washing his car.

Rugby League star Rowan Baxter and wife Hannah Baxter had three kids (Image: COURTESY)

An adult male and three children under the age of 10 died at the scene with a woman in a critical condition in hospital with what police described as "significant burns".

It has now been reported the couple at the centre of the horrifying incident were Rowan Baxter, formerly of NRL side the New Zealand Warriors, and wife Hannah Baxter.

It is claimed Baxter had also injured himself with a knife at the scene of the incident.

According to the Courier-Mail, Rowan has been working in Brisbane since his retirement, running Integr8 Fitness alongside wife Hannah with the pair working as fitness coaches.

Their gym has been used by elite sports people including current and former Brisbane Broncos rugby league players.

On the couple's website, Hannah is described as an "enthusiastic, passionate mother of three" and she received gold and silver medals representing Australia in trampolining.

It is claimed police were called to a family violence incident in January involving the couple and they were involved in a custody battle over their three children, Laianah, Aaliyah and Trey.

In recent months, Rowan Baxter's Facebook page was flooded with photos and videos of his children.

Six days ago, he posted "T-R-E-Y, love you to the moon and back," and a month ago he wrote" “Goodnight my babies, Daddy loves you."

On December 30 he posted a photo of his three children saying “I miss you all”, whilst a friend wrote on his page: “Chin up brother everything will work out just hang in there my bro”.