A WOMAN and her six-year-old son have died tragically in a Gold Coast unit fire after heroic efforts by her husband to save them.

Chanra Moore and her boy Olli perished in the ferocious blaze in their Back St unit at Biggera Waters about 1.30am yesterday.

It's understood Mrs Moore's husband, Nathan, fell from the first floor unit as he tried to rescue her and his son, only to be knocked by the family cat leaping out of the window.

Neighbours are believed to have stopped the distraught dad from trying to re-enter the building as it was engulfed in flames. He was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital suffering smoke inhalation and shock.

Mrs Moore and her son were initially listed as missing, with police unable to enter the badly-damaged building because of heat and asbestos.

But about 1.30pm, undertakers retrieved the two bodies from the charred remains of the unit as one neighbour wept.

"I heard a 'bang, bang' noise and screams and woke up my daughter … by the time we got down the place was in flames, it was really bad," the woman, Canan Ozcan said.

"Police came, fire trucks came, ambulances came but it was so bad they just couldn't do anything. We were praying that everyone was okay and safe but it was obvious that they weren't."

Ms Ozcan said she had seen Olli playing with another boy in her complex.

"Everyone is devastated," she said.

"I heard another lady say her son was going to school with this little boy. She was devastated. It's just a tragedy. It's such a terrible, terrible thing to happen."

Police declared the badly-burned complex a crime scene but do not believe at this stage that there are any suspicious circumstances.

Neighbours reported a power pole explosion in the street on Thursday, with Energex workers called out.

Originally published as Mother and boy, 6, revealed as victims of fire tragedy