Inquest to Probe Russell Island House Fire that Killed Father and Five Sons

A 10-day inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding a devastating house fire on Russell Island in south-east Queensland that claimed the lives of a man and his five young sons. The blaze, which occurred in August 2023, killed 34-year-old Wayne Godinet Jr and his children, aged 3 to 11.

Domestic Violence Claims to be Investigated

The inquest will investigate allegations of domestic violence within the household, with multiple triple-zero callers reporting frequent fighting and screaming coming from the home. One caller told operators, "we knew that one day they would kill these kids, but nobody has done anything" and "the house is f***ing horrid I've called the police a number of times."

Counsel assisting the coroner, Corinne Leach, told a preliminary hearing that the children's mother, Samantha Stephenson, lived at the home with the boys and her sister, while Mr. Godinet Jr would stay with them occasionally. "As he worked on the mainland during the week and he and Samantha's relationship was on and off," she said.

Fire Origin and Spread

The court heard that Ms. Stephenson told investigators she and Mr. Godinet Jr had been underneath the house in a makeshift entertainment area the night before the fire broke out. She recalled the pair smoked cigarettes and fell asleep cuddling on the couch, before she woke up some hours later and saw black smoke everywhere.

A fire investigation report found it was probable the blaze had developed in the ground floor area, but the exact point of origin was unable to be determined and human-initiated ignition could not be categorically ruled out. The court also heard that the lack of compliant smoke alarms installed in the home will be part of the inquest.

Inquest Proceedings

The inquest, set to begin in November in Brisbane, will hear from 16 witnesses, including fire experts, police, and Ms. Stephenson. The emergency response to the blaze, including whether Russell Island has sufficient resources to deal with house fires, will also be examined.

Ms. Leach told the court that the power points in the house were described as "bad, hanging out, and with exposed wires". "The power point from which the extension lead was plugged was known to short out and did not sit properly in the wall," she said.