Woman charged over faulty fire alarms in Russell Island blaze that killed dad, five kids
A 61-year-old woman has been accused of failing to install legally required and compliant smoke alarms after a house fire claimed the lives of a father and five children.
Emergency services at the scene of a house fire at Todman Street on Russell Island, off the coast of Brisbane in Queensland, Monday, August 7, 2023. Fire investigators remain at the scene of a deadly Queensland house fire that claimed the lives of five young boys and their father on an island off Brisbane. (AAP Image/Russell Freeman)
Police said the woman was the owner of the Russell Island home that burned down in August 2023, devastating the local community near Brisbane.
Wayne Godinet, 34, and his young boys died after an early morning blaze tore through the Todman Street property.
The children’s mother, Samantha Stephenson, and another woman survived after fleeing as the two-storey home was engulfed in flames.
The fire also destroyed two neighbouring homes and left several people needing treatment for minor burns and smoke inhalation.
Police said the 61-year-old woman was not present when the deadly blaze occurred.
However police have alleged the woman was the property owner and the house “did not have compliant smoke alarms”.
The woman has been served a notice to appear on one count of owners must install smoke alarms.
She is expected to appear at the Cleveland Magistrates Court on March 26.
Police expect to submit a report to the coroner in the “near future”.
The deadly blaze left the small Moreton Bay community in shock.
After the fire, relatives travelled from around Australia and New Zealand to pay their respects to Mr Godinet and the five boys at Russell Island.
The children included four-year-old twins with the other boys aged 11, 10 and three.
