The bodies of a father and his five young sons were recovered from the charred remains of their house following a major fire on Sunday that destroyed three homes on Australia's Russell Island. Wayne Godinet, 34, and his twins Kyza and Koa, both four years old, his three-year-old son Nicky, as well as his stepsons Zack, 11, and Harry, 10, died when their Todman Street home on Queensland's Russell Island caught fire shortly after 6 am on Sunday,
The mother of the children, Samantha Stephenson, 28, and a 21-year-old female relative, possibly Stephenson's sister, were able to escape the blazing rental property. They were both taken to the hospital but were released on Monday.
Deadly Fire Wipes Family
Emma-Lee Headrick, the aunt of the children, expressed her grief on social media on Monday morning, revealing that she had spent the entire night mourning the loss of 'Waynie boy' and her "beautiful" nephews.
"I stayed awake, mourning the loss of 6 beautiful souls," Headrick wrote on Facebook alongside a photo of the father and his sons floating on pink clouds.
"We have suffered a great loss. I find comfort knowing you rest peacefully in the arms of the Lord. With Grumpy and Nicky.
"To my whanau in Queensland, I feel your pain and aroha. I'll be there soon."
Emergency services received reports of a fire shortly after 6 am on Sunday and arrived at the scene to find the family's two-story home fully engulfed in flames.
The flames rapidly spread to two adjacent homes, as reported by the Australian Associated Press.
"This poor lady has lost her entire family," Queensland Police Superintendent Mat Kelly told reporters. "She's terribly emotionally distressed at the moment but doesn't have any actual injuries."
The fire on Russell Island caused extensive smoke clouds, affecting the area with a population of approximately 3,700 residents.
"[It] is truly tragic as these young boys could have become men into the future," Kelly said.
Even after late Sunday afternoon, around 30 fire personnel were present at the scene, and investigations commenced.
Authorities used drones for aerial assessment to evaluate the damage. According to Assistant Commissioner John Cawcutt from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, the entire structure was deemed unstable.
New Questions Arise
On Monday police revealed new details about the horror house fire. Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said that various aspects of the house fire needed "further scrutiny" by police.
Cawcutt said that the police have not yet made any conclusions regarding the suspicious nature of the blaze. Investigators are maintaining an open mind regarding the cause of the fire.
"In terms of best investigative processes, the elements that need further investigation or clarification must remain confidential at this stage," he said.
Godinet and Stephenson were sleeping on the ground floor at the time of the fire, while the children and the 21-year-old female relative were upstairs.
The female relative had to resort to jumping from a second-story window to escape the raging flames.
Superintendent Massingham revealed that the "male victim" was known to the police, and they had responded to calls at the home on multiple occasions before the tragic fire incident.
The superintendent was asked if the male victim was permitted to be at the house.
"In terms of that aspect of it, were still investigating that but I can confirm that police happen to the residents in the past but the nature and frequency of our attendance there is subject to internal review," he said.
On Sunday, a letter was sent to parents and caregivers by the acting principal of Russell Island State School, Leanne McMahon. The letter addressed the tragic incident and mentioned that the two eldest sons, Zack and Harry, who lost their lives in the fire, were students at the school.
"Many of you will be aware of a tragic house fire this morning in our community. It has been reported that some residents, including young people, remain unaccounted for. We extend our sincere sympathies to the affected families and their loved ones at this difficult time," the letter read.
McMahon acknowledged that the news of the tragic incident could be distressing for the children and assured parents that the school would offer support and counseling to help them cope with the situation.
"As a community, we will rally together and support each other through this challenging period," she wrote.
The fire incident, which spread to two other properties on Todman Street, about 60 km southeast of Brisbane, resulted in nine people being treated at the scene.
