The family of a mother whose partner and five sons were killed in a house fire are ‘completely broken’.
Samantha Stephenson, 28, and Wanye Godinet’s rental home on Russell Island, south-east of Brisbane, went up in flames at about 6.20am on Sunday.
Neighbours said the mother, who escaped the flames with her 21-year-old sister, ran outside screaming ‘my children, my children’ because she knew the boys were still upstairs.
Ms Stephenson tried to run back inside but Mr Godinet, 34, stopped her and sprinted back into the burning building himself.
He became trapped with his twins Kyza and Koa, aged four, his three-year-old son Nicky, and stepsons, Zack, 11 and Harry, 10, until the second storey collapsed.
Detectives on Monday could not yet confirm whether the blaze was suspicious, but said the family were ‘known to police’ and were planning to review previous call-outs to the house.
Ms Stephenson’s family have been silent since the tragedy, until Monday night when relative Angela Stephenson wrote a post on social media – saying Mr Godinet was her ‘hero’.
Samantha Stephenson (pictured with one of her five sons) could only watch as her house burnt down with her partner and kids inside
The blaze was so intense firefighters were only able to pick through the remains of the house in the late afternoon after battling it from 6:18am
Ms Stephenson’s family have been silent since the tragedy, until Monday night when relative Angela Stephenson wrote a post on social media
‘Firstly, the Godinet’s and Stephenson’s want to say thank you for the condolences, love and prayers at this time,’ she wrote.
‘We are completely broken.
‘They are all so loved and will forever be loved, forever my boys and to my hero, Wayne.’
She also included a link to a Go Fund Me campaign, set up by Ms Stephenson’s friend Lilly Slater to with assist with living expenses, and to help fund six funerals.
On Monday, Ms Slater told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Samantha just wants the world to know – check your smoke alarms and hold your babies.
Later on Monday, Mr Godinet’s mother Angelita uploaded a photo of a poem to pay tribute to her son and grandchildren.
‘As I sit in heaven and watch you everyday, I try to let you know with signs I never went away,’ it read.
Mr Godinet worked for an asbestos removal company, and was remembered by his colleagues as a ‘driving force in the A-Team’ who ‘built a reputation for himself built on hard work and integrity’.
Father Wayne Godinet, 34, and his five sons (pictured) perished after they were trapped in a deadly fire on Queensland’s Russell Island
Emergency services were called to the burning home at about 6am (scene pictured)
‘We are totally devastated to have lost Wayne over the weekend, along with his five sons,’ the Facebook post read.
‘Everybody loved being around him and his huge smile lit up the room.’
‘We will miss you, mate, the A-Team will never be the same without you.’
Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said at a press conference on Monday that police planned to speak with Ms Stephenson and her sister.
‘The establishment of that investigation centre is because there are some elements of this incident yesterday that do require closer scrutiny,’ Supt Massingham said.
‘No determination has been made at this stage as to whether this fire is suspicious or not.
‘It’s important that I tell you that we are keeping an open mind with respect to this matter.’
He also confirmed police had been called out to the property in the past, but said the ‘nature and frequency of our attendance there is subject to internal review and will be part of the investigation’.
Det Supt Massingham would not say whether Mr Godinet was supposed to be at the house or not.
Detectives swarmed the area on Sunday and Monday. There is an investigation into the cause of the blaze
Neighbours said the mother-of-five had been sleeping upstairs with the children, while Mr Godinet slept downstairs.
Ms Stephenson was released from hospital on Monday morning and is cooperating with investigators, as they try to determine the cause of the fire.
Peter MacLoughlin, a close family friend, told media that he heard about the blaze from Ms Stephenson’s mother’s partner and immediately jumped in the car.
‘Sam came running out of the house. She was just screaming ‘my children, my children,’ I can never forgot that,’ he said on Monday.
The blaze began at about 6am on Sunday and spread to two other houses, sending plumes of thick smoke billowing into the sky.
One home collapsed while firefighters worked to douse the flames on another.
About 20 firefighters were able to extinguish the flames on a third home.
Nine people were treated by paramedics.
