Support surges for Gympie fire victim Alexis and her family
UPDATE: THE Gympie community has leapt forward to help the family of 12-year-old fire victim Alexis Dean as she remains in a critical condition.
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LATEST: Investigators are continuing enquiries into the cause of the fire that critically injured a 12-year-old girl and gutted a Monkland residence early yesterday morning.
Area commander Bernie Massingham said the fire originated in the front right hand side bedroom of the house.
While the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, Mr Massingham said the house was fitted with emergency alarms.
"The fire investigators have found remnants of smoke detectors within the destruction," Mr Massingham said.
"They also found 9 volt batteries which leads to the fact they did have batteries installed, and at this stage we don't know whether or not the detectors were activating during the fire itself."
Alexis Dean remains in a critical condition after being airlifted to the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital.
UPDATE: THE devastated family of critically injured Gympie girl Alexis Dean have found strong support from Gympie people, including family friends Chloe Whish-Wilson and Georgia Rose Donachie.
They spoke to The Gympie Times in Nelson Reserve today.
Chloe (left) urged Gympie region people to support fundraising efforts at the Go Fund Me page.
UPDATE: THE Gympie community has leapt forward to help the family of 12-year-old fire victim Alexis Dean as she remains in a critical condition at Lady Cilento Children's Hospital.
A Go Fund Me page has already raised over $2,700 for the family in just 17 hours.
Jetts Gympie has set aside a space to store all donations for the family, who lost their home to a raging fire early on Monday morning.
Katherine Hammond's child is friends with Alexis, and Ms Hammond put the call out for donations for the Dean family last night.
"One of Mavrik's best mates at school is the unfortunate family that house burnt down here in Gympie," Ms Hammond said.
Ms Hammond said Alexis and her mother, father, 17-year-old sister and 9-year-old brother are in need of "everything" to start rebuilding their lives.
"If you have anything you can do without that'd help out a family in need, please drop it off at Jetts Gym Gympie, who'll get it to the family when the time is right," Ms Hammond said.
Meanwhile, a close friend of Alexis has posted a heartfelt tribute to Facebook, urging her to keep up the fight for life.
"She's been there every step of the way, she's held me when I've cried, she's given me a reason to live and without her I wouldn't be the same person I am today," she said.
"To lose her would mean losing part of me.
"I love her with my body heart and soul and I ask that u all pray for her [because] my life would not be the same without this beautiful girl by my side.''
You can donate to the Dean family by following this link:
https://www.gofundme.com/29f6849q?ssid=636684235
UPDATE: A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help raise money for the devastated family of 12-year-old Monkland fire victim Alexis Dean.
Alexis remains in a critical condition in the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in Brisbane tonight after fire broke out in her Noosa Rd home in the early hours of this morning.
Fire fighters had to force their way into the home and through "horrific conditions" just before 4am to rescue Alexis from her bedroom in the front of the house, where most of the fire appears to have taken place.
She was airlifted from Gympie to Brisbane about 1pm.
A Go Fund Me page has been established, with a view to raising $20,000 for Alexis and her family.
It says: Today a tragic accident happened to the Dean Family of Gympie. A fire struck their home in the early hours of this morning with their 12 year old daughter Alexis being severely burnt. They have lost everything. So please help this family. Help spread the word!
You can donate to the Dean family by following this link:
https://www.gofundme.com/29f6849q?ssid=636684235
EARLIER: Grey skies and a bitter wind have added to the grim scene at Archery Park as a 12-year-old Gympie girl has been placed aboard the Careflight chopper to be airlifted to Lady Cilento Children's Hospital.
The girl suffered smoke inhalation and severe burns to her upper body after becoming trapped in a bedroom when fire broke out at a Noosa Rd property in the early hours of this morning.
Courageous fire fighters equipped with breathing apparatus and safety gear had to force their way into the Monkland home which was well alight just before 4am, while the girl's mother and two other people clung to each other outside the building after escaping.
In what the area commander has described as "horrific conditions" with nil visibility, thick smoke and deadly flames, the second crew of fire fighters to enter the building were able to local the girl in a front bedroom.
She was taken to Gympie Hospital in a critical condition and was unable to be stabilised sufficiently until 1pm, when she was taken by ambulance to the helipad at Archery Park and from their airlifted to Brisbane.
UPDATE: The Gympie fire fighters who saved the life of a 12-year-old girl trapped in a burning house in Gympie last night have been praised for their bravery.
Area commander Sunshine Coast Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Bernie Massingham said fire fighters had to enter the burning home in Noosa Road when the fire was "quite involved" to save the girl, who remains in a critical position in Gympie Hospital but is expected to be airlifted to Brisbane as soon as she is stable enough to move.
Inspector Massingham said the cause of the blaze is unknown.
"Crews were brave in their attempts to extricate that person and they were successful in doing so," he said.
At this stage they are unsure why the occupant wasn't able to exit though Mr Massingham said it was easy to get confused and disorientated in a fire due to the smoke, blackout, heat and dropping oxygen.
"It took more than 15 fire fighters half an hour to extinguish the blaze."
The girl has severe burns to her upper body and also suffered smoke inhalation. Investigations continue.
EARLIER: A 12-year-old Gympie girl is fighting for life in Gympie Hospital this morning following a devastating house fire on the Monkland overnight.
The girl, her mother and two other people were asleep in the house on Noosa Road when fire broke out about 3.30am. It appears to have ravaged a front section of the home.
The girl suffered upper body burns and smoke inhalation and was rushed to Gympie Hospital in a critical condition. At this point she has not been airlifted.
Her mum and the other two people in the house have not been injured.
It took 15 fire fighters half an hour to put the fire out once they arrived on the scene.
When the crews first arrived the other three people were already outside the house and the young girl was still inside. The fire was "quite involved" at this stage.
Two fire fighters entered the home in a search and rescue while the blaze was burning fiercely. More fire fighters entered soon after.
They found the girl in her bedroom at the front of the house.
It is unknown at this stage exactly where the fire started or what cause the blaze. Officers are on the scene investigating.
While fire fighters did not say outright that the young girl had become trapped in the blaze, a spokesman told The Gympie Times this morning it was very easy for a person to become confused and disorientated inside a burning building when it is pitch black, you can't see and the level of oxygen is dropping quickly.
These confusing conditions take effect very quickly, he said.
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