Five children and their father killed in house fire on Russell Island - 9News

Five children and their 34-year-old father have been killed in a fire that destroyed their family home on Russell Island, south-east of Brisbane

The father, two four-year-old twins and three other siblings aged three, 10 and 11 were left unaccounted for following the fire.

Police on Sunday afternoon confirmed six bodies had been found as Investigations to officially identify the bodies continued.

Locals named the father killed in the fire as Wayne Godinet. (Nine)

Locals named the father as Wayne Godinet.

A 28-year-old woman, believed to be their mother, Samantha Stephenson, escaped the blaze and is in hospital.

A total of nine people needed treatment, including a 21-year old woman who was also rushed to hospital.

The fire spread to two other houses on Todman Street on the island just off the mainland.

Locals named the father as Wayne Godinet, with five children also dead. (Nine)

Thick plumes of thick smoke were seen billowing into the sky, after the house became engulfed in blames about 6.20am this morning. (Supplied)

A friend of the family, Peter MacLoughlin, arrived before the firefighters and said he was "devastated".

He said the boys' mother called him asking for help just after 6am.

"(The) mother came out very distressed saying children were inside as was her partner," he said.

"There was nothing I could do."

He said he'd given one of the older children a bike just yesterday.

Queensland Police Service Superintendent Mat Kelly, said the fire was not being treated as suspicious.

"The house has been burnt to the ground," Kelly told media.

"These young boys who could have been men in the future and a man has lost his life.

"We are still speaking with this poor lady who has lost her entire family."

The first firefighters on scene were rural crews stationed on the Island, just off the Redlands coast.

Soon more help arrived including paramedics and police ferried over from the mainland.

Queensland Police Superintendent Mat Kelly, said the fire was not being treated as suspicious. (Nine)

Kelly said firefighters found the mother crying for help. 

"They were greeted with a distressed lady and a house fully alight," Kelly said.

The tragedy sent shock waves through the community of 3500, Kelly said. 

"(Russell Island) is a very small ingrained community," he said.

"They all support each other and they are devastated by this."

Neighbours also tried to help.

Ricky Hale said he heard an "almighty bang" and ran to the house.

"I grabbed the hose and took off down there," he said.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner John Cawcutt said the blaze was "obviously one of the worst fires we have had in a long time".

Queensland Police confirmed six bodies had been found. (Nine)

Commissioner Greg Leach said it could take days to work out what happened.

"The building is extensively damaged; it could take quite some time, even days to determine the point of origin of the fire and the cause," Leach said.

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https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijAFodHRwczovL3d3dy45bmV3cy5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvcnVzc2VsbC1pc2xhbmQtbGFyZ2UtZmlyZS1lbmd1bGZzLW11bHRpcGxlLWhvbWVzLW9uLXF1ZWVuc2xhbmQtaXNsYW5kL2Q5MDc0NjUzLWM2ZjUtNDM2OS05MDIxLTk4MDljOWRhMWRkNNIBAA?oc=5

2023-08-06 09:47:48Z
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