Father dies after heroically running inside burning home to rescue his five children
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A father has died a hero after attempting to save his five sons from their burning home.
The Courier Mail reported that the Queensland dad made the ultimate sacrifice after his Todman Street home on Russell Island went up in flames over the weekend.
Wayne Godinet, 34, ran back into the home in an attempt to grab his biological twin boys, aged four and his son, aged three, along with his stepsons, Zack, 11 and Harry, 10.
The home erupted around 6am on Sunday (August 6) and sprawled across two neighbouring properties.
Shortly after Godinet ran back inside, the upper storey collapsed.
Tragically, all six perished in the fire.
His wife, Samantha Stephenson, 28, is in stable condition recovering in hospital along with a relative who also managed to escape.
Samatha described her husband as a ‘hero’ for his selfless last act and said he would stop at nothing to save his children.
“He was just a doting father who couldn't wait to get home to play with the kids,” she told the outlet.
“He would be absolutely buggered after work and he just wanted to play with them.
“The whole community is devastated, absolutely shattered."
Family friend Peter Macloughlin arrived at the devastating scene shortly after Samantha fled her home engulfed in flames.
“The mother came out very distressed saying the children were inside as was her partner there was nothing I could do,” he told 9 News.
Macloughlin said he was 'devastated' over the losses.
“[They were] great kids, the older one I just gave him a bike yesterday,” he said.
Firefighters said the flames were relentless and they had been fighting them for several hours to put them out.
Police could only clear the rubble and search remains later that night.
“Once the fire was extinguished this afternoon by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services an initial examination of the scene located the bodies of six people, believed to be a man and five children,” police said.
“A port-mortem and scientific examination will take place to confirm the identities of the deceased.”
An investigation is underway to determine exactly what sparked the fire.
A family friend has since launched a GoFundMe page on Samantha's behalf.
“On this tragic morning Samantha lost her five beautiful boys and there father to a house fire,' the post reads.
“We have started this go fund me to assist Samantha in the cost to putting her beautiful family to rest. Whatever you can donate will be appreciated.”
