A man is fighting for life after he was allegedly stabbed in the chest and locked on the balcony of his home, which was then set alight.
Neighbours and a jogger who was passing the house in Grange, a suburb in Brisbane’s north, around 5.20am managed to pull Roberto Zumbo, 43, from the balcony before emergency services arrived.
After allegedly attacking him, Pierina Daidone-Zumbo, 44, who is believed to be his partner, then allegedly set fire to items inside the house, including books and clothes.
She was arrested at the scene but has not been charged.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said police believe Daidone-Zumbo stabbed Mr Zumbo in the chest with a 20cm serrated kitchen knife as he was having a cup of coffee on the balcony.
The stab wound just missed his heart, he said.
Police allege she then locked him out and set fire to some items inside the house.
Massingham said it was ”extremely lucky” the jogger was passing the house and that neighbours also heard screams and called triple-zero.
Pierina Daidone-Zumbo, 44, who is believed to be the man’s long-term partner, then allegedly set fire to items inside the house, including books and clothes. (Nine)
Zumbo was rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, in a critical condition where he is undergoing surgery.
Massingham said it was a “sudden and horrendously graphic scene”.
“Today is a tragedy,” Massingham said.
“It’s such a horrific event.”
He said the house and people involved had not previously been known to police.
A neighbour told Today the incident was a shock for the “very quiet street”.
“Nothing happens in this street,” Tegan Sprenger said.
She said the man who lived at the house had been there for a while and seemed “like a nice guy”.
Anyone with information about the incident should contact police.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
In an emergency, contact triple-zero (000).
