MATT Golinski has undergone potentially life-saving surgery and is yet to regain consciousness after the house fire that killed his wife and three daughters.

But a friend today spoke of the pain still ahead if the critically injured celebrity chef survives.



Mr Golinski received burns to 40 per cent of his body and is in Royal Brisbane Hospital's intensive care unit.



Mr Golinski's wife Rachael, and their daughters Starlia, 13, and 12-year-old twins Sage and Willow died when fire swept through the family home at Tewantin, on the Sunshine Coast, early yesterday.



Anne McIlwraith, a carer for the girls, told Sky News of Mr Golinski's love for his family.



"Matt won't want to be here (when he learns of his family's deaths).



"He'll want to be with his girls."

Ms McIlwraith remembered the family as "just the loveliest, lovliest people".

"Those three girls were just the sweetest, loving girls you could ever come across," she told Channel 7.

Another family friend, Nola McDonald, told Channel 7 of the children's positive attitude. Twelve-year-old twins Sage and Willow had a rare metabolic disorder with symptoms similar to cerebral palsy.

"The children were just an absolute delight and doing so well," she said.



Ambulance took 27 minutes



Meanwhile, Queensland emergency services have said they could not have done anything more to help celebrity chef Matt Golinski, who was severely burned and lost his family to a house fire.



Police say there was nothing suspicious about the blaze.



But emergency services have been forced to defend their response to the blaze, after records showed the 39-year-old chef waited almost 30 minutes to be treated by a paramedic.



Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts today said it took 27 minutes for an ambulance to get to the scene from the first call - a request to support the fire service at the scene.



The ambulance was on the way when it got word of a patient there and arrived nine minutes later.



The fire service arrived within 12 minutes of being called.



Mr Roberts was confident the service had done its best.



Of the nine crews on duty, four were in the area and the nearest ambulance was sent.



"As with all emergency services there are unpredictable, unplanned peaks in demand which no one can cater for," Mr Roberts told reporters in Brisbane.



"I'm confident that appropriate resourcing was there on the Sunshine Coast."



Police officer had to drive ambulance



Ambulance Service acting deputy commissioner Chris Broomfield said the other crews in the area were either treating patients or taking them to hospital at the time of the fire.



While wishing there could have been a better outcome for the family, Mr Broomfield said he would not have done anything differently.



"No, in this particular instance, the resources that we had, we sent the closest available resource that we had to that scene," he told reporters.



He confirmed a police officer drove the ambulance carrying Mr Golinski to hospital in order for the paramedic to treat him.



"Emergency services throughout the state work co-operatively together. This is not an uncommon circumstance in rural communities or any community if the need be," he said.



Christmas lights may have sparked blaze



Police left the house in Jacaranda Place today but the investigation into the cause of the blaze continues, with speculation that Christmas lights or candles could be responsible.



However, they have confirmed the blaze was not suspicious.

'Angels taken away too soon'

A pile of flowers and cards at the scene continued to grow today, forcing police to urge well-wishers to stay clear of the unstable property and leave their tributes at a nearby church.

The messages of love, flowers and toys, and included poodles and bunnies.

One tribute described Rachael as an inspiration.

"You always helped me find the way. We love you all," read one card.

Another said Rachael, Sage, Willow and Starlia were "angels taken away too soon".

"We'll miss your constant smiles," said another.

A friend of the 12-year-old twins wrote, "Dear Sage and Willow, I had a great time with the both of you and I'll miss both of you."

Mr Golinski is a regular contributor to the Network Ten show Ready Steady Cook and runs the catering company The Rolling Dolmade.