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The tragic act which led to man's fatal eastern brown snake bite

A North Queensland man has died after being bitten by an eastern brown snake under his house.

The Townsville man was trying to scare the deadly snake away from his animals when it bit him on the hand.

The 47-year-old went into cardiac arrest at his home late on Thursday afternoon.

The family has told 7 News he was with his partner, underneath his home when they spotted a snake near their dogs. He didn't realise it was an eastern brown.

The man was bitten by the snake under his house, when he tried to scare it away from his animals. Source: 7 News
The man was bitten by the snake under his house, when he tried to scare it away from his animals. Source: 7 News

Instead of calling triple zero, he went door-to-door to neighbours, holding the reptile.

"He came over and asked me if I knew and I wasn't entirely sure but it was brown so I knew it was poisonous, and then he told me that he had been bitten," neighbour Brett Boggs said.

The man didn't realise it was an eastern brown. Source: Stock image, The Australian Reptile Park via AAP
The man didn't realise it was an eastern brown. Source: Stock image, The Australian Reptile Park via AAP

Minutes later neighbours heard screaming coming from the home.

"As I was walking over she screamed again and I could hear it in her voice, she was scared, so I ran over and I could see he was pretty bad, he was in a bad way, fighting for breath," Mr Boggs said.

Neighbours heard screaming coming from the house. Source: 7 News
Neighbours heard screaming coming from the house. Source: 7 News

Neighbours performed CPR while they waited for help, but when paramedics arrived, they couldn't revive the man.

"In the last 12 months QAS has attended 66 snake bite incidents, but it's very rare for any of these to be a fatality," Queensland Ambulance Service's Lauren Clayton said.

Emergency services say it's a tragedy that could have been avoided.

Experts say to immediately call triple zero as soon as you see a snake. Source: File image/7News
Experts say to immediately call triple zero as soon as you see a snake. Source: File image/7News

"Most snake bite fatalities could be avoidable, whether it's choosing not to interact with the snake or applying first aid," Dan Bamblett from Hands on Wildlife told 7 News.

Experts say you should never try to identify what type of snake it is you have encountered - venomous or not, it is best to call triple zero.

"He was a real good bloke, a real hard worker," Brett Boggs said of the snake bite victim.

"It's a shame. Feeling pretty devastated right now, actually."

It's been almost two and a half years since the last fatal snake bite in the region.

Police are preparing a report for the Coroner.