Family of Blake Whell pay tribute after fatal Logan caravan fire

The family of a man who died saving the life of his heavily pregnant partner in a caravan fire has paid tribute.

The family of a man who died while saving the life of his heavily pregnant partner during a caravan fire have remembered him as a “good kid” as they visited the site of the blaze.

Lloyd Bickle said his son Blake Whell gave his life to save Tomeka Willis and her unborn baby when an E-scooter caught alight and sent the caravan up in flames on Wilbur St overnight on Monday.

“The king saved his queen,” Mr Bickle said. “All his life that boy’s pushed s--t up hill, he’s a good kid.”

Ms Willis and her baby, who was born by emergency C-section on Tuesday, survived the blaze, but Ms Willis has burns to 54 per cent of her body and has not yet been woken from a coma to learn of Blake’s passing.

“How is she going to recover from the reality of losing her partner … and him not seeing the baby boy that’s just been born,” Ms Willis’s mum, Christine Willis said.

“There’s a big cement brick on my chest, on my heart. My gut is in a knot not knowing if my daughter will survive.

Blake Whell's father Lloyd Bickle gives an emotional tribute to his son. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“Blake is a hero, and I bless him so much for saving my daughter and my grandson. I wish he hung on but I understand he gave his life to Tomeka and the baby.”

She said the baby was delivered four weeks and six days early but was in a “very, very stable condition”.

Tomeka’s mum said doctors had given her young daughter a 50-50 chance of surviving her injuries.

“Honestly I don’t know how I’m going to cope if I lose my child. My heart goes out to the Whell family and the Bickle family … parents should be passing before their children, not the other way around,” she said.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but authorities say an E-scooter charger is likely what sparked the blaze.

Scooter Squad vice president Valiant Sinclair, who advocates for better education around the popular mode of transport, said commuters should be better informed about the potential dangers of E-scooters.

Christine Willis' daughter Tomeka Willis remains in a coma following a fire at Logan Central earlier this week. Picture: Tara Croser.

“This is a very rare event when it comes to scooters burning,” he said.

“But as we can see here, it does happen. Stores need to educate their customers on how and where to charge the scooters.”

Mr Sinclair said it was crucial to pair scooters with compatible chargers and ensure the voltages of both electronics were suited.

“Just because the scooter and the charger fit together, it doesn’t mean they should go together, it’s not one size fits all,” he said.

He also reminded E-scooter users to monitor the charging process, and advised those who rode through flood waters to get their scooter checked over by a professional.

Mr Bickle has asked for donations to help him put his boy to rest in “peace and dignity.”