Four-year-old Isaac suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body and died in hospital on Wednesday

A four-year-old boy who huddled over his siblings to try to stop the flames from reaching them has died in hospital, while the sole surviving child of the four siblings remains in a critical condition.

A third child who died after suffering life-threatening injuries alongside his siblings when a fire broke out at their Corio home has been remembered as a “heroic” boy who tried to shield his brothers and sisters from the inferno.

Four-year-old Isaac died on Wednesday at the Royal Children’s hospital where he remained alongside his sister Mavis, 6, in intensive care with severe burns and internal injuries.

The fire broke out in the garden shed at the family’s Officer Court home about 10.30am on Sunday.

Isaac, 4 tried to protect his siblings from the flames. Picture: Supplied

Six-year-old Mavis sustained serious injuries in the shed fire. Picture: Supplied

The pair’s 18-month-old sister Ashlynn and 3-year-old brother Saige died at the scene after their mother Jasmine Beck single-handedly pulled them from the blaze, burning her hands in the process.

Isaac suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body, leaving specialists uncertain over whether he could survive surgery.

Mavis remained in a critical condition with burns to about 30 per cent of her body.

A GoFundMe page set up to help pay for the children’s funeral costs had an updated message on Wednesday that read: “Issac sadly grew his wings and reunited with his baby brother and sister”.

On Tuesday, the children’s father Kane McGregor spoke about how four-year-old Isaac used his small body to protect his siblings, Saige, 3, and Ashlynn, 18 months, from the flames that took hold of the family’s Corio garden shed on Sunday.

“What four-year-old huddles over his two little siblings?” Mr McGregor told media outside the Royal Children’s’ Hospital.

Mr McGregor said Isaac stayed huddled over his siblings and “died himself” but was revived by paramedics at the scene and flown to Melbourne.

“I couldn’t be prouder of him really,” he said.

“He’s real strong. The bravest kid I know,” he said.

Isaac suffered third-degree burns to 82 per cent of his body and was showing signs of kidney and liver failure.

His father said he was due to undergo surgery on Tuesday but it was delayed over concerns Isaac may not survive the procedure.

Mavis is understood to have suffered burns to 30 per cent of her body.

Mr McGregor detailed the last moments with his children on the morning of the fire, saying Isaac had given him “a cuddle and a kiss” before he left Corio for Melbourne.

“You couldn’t have asked for better kids. Just every day they were growing up, they had so much life. I’m just shattered as,” he said.

Northern Bay P-12 College, where Mavis attends the Hendy St campus as a prep student, has brought in mental health support for staff and students.

Principal Mel Maccora said the entire school community extended their sympathies to the McGregor family, as parents Jasmine Beck and Kane McGregor remain by Mavis’ and Isaac’s bedsides in hospital.

“Our thoughts also go to the many students and staff who knew Mavis and her siblings,” Ms Maccora said.

Loved ones have organised two fundraisers for the family, one to cover Saige and Ashlynn’s funeral costs, and another organised by the children’s uncle, Anthony McGregor, to help pay for Mavis’ and Isaac’s medical bills.

Donations have exceeded more than $43,000.

Police continue to investigate how the fire started, but it is not being treated as suspicious.

‘Worst 36 hours of my life’

The father of two young children who died after a fire ripped through a garden shed at their home has broken his silence over the horror blaze, which left his two other children fighting for life.

Kane McGregor said Sunday’s tragedy had left him “absolutely broken hearted”.

“Worst 36 hours of my life absolutely heart broken having to let go of my 2 youngest baby’s,” he said in a Facebook post.

“Only thing keeping me together is holding onto and fighting for my other two.”

Saige, 3, and Ashlynn, 18 months old, were killed in the fire. Their siblings Mavis and Isaac were taken to hospital however Isaac later died.

Mr McGregor said Mavis, 6, and Isaac, 4, were “way too stubborn” to succumb to their injuries.

“Keep fighting the winning fight as youse have this far,” he said.

“I’ll lift the world for youse couldn’t be any prouder of you two.

“Long road to recovery but only way to go is up.

“RIP Wiggles (Ashlynn) and Saigey I love you two so much.”

‘She did her very best pulling those babies out’

For Corio mother Jasmine Beck, a smell of smoke in the air about 10.30am on Sunday was the first sign that something was wrong.

A mother of four, Ms Beck went out to the backyard of her Officer Court home – and was horrified.

The smoke was billowing from flames that had erupted in their garden shed.

Her children – Ashlynn, aged 18 months, Saige, 3, Isaac and Mavis – were trapped inside.

Corio fire victims Saige and Ashlynn McGregor.

Ms Beck desperately shoved past a burning couch that was barricading the kids inside.

Burning her hands, she dragged her children out of the blazing shed, laying their burnt bodies on the ground.

In seconds, the ordinarily quiet court had become the scene of unthinkable horror.

Shocked neighbours rushed to the aid of the distraught Ms Beck while others could only watch in disbelief. After a flurry of frantic triple-0 calls, scores of fire trucks, ambulances and police cars descended.

Ashlynn and Saige died at the scene.

“Jasmine did her very best pulling all those babies out … having to call the fire brigade, having to put out a fire, having to pull out your children,” said their aunty, Sarah Guardiano.

“She did the best she could to get all of them out as quickly as she did.”

Isaac and Mavis were flown to The Royal Children’s Hospital, where they remain. Their chances of survival are “touch and go”.

The shed where two children died and another two were critically injured. Picture: David Crosling

Ms Beck and partner Kane McGregor, the children’s ­father, have not left their bedsides as they undergo surgeries to overcome severe burns and internal injuries.

“Right now it’s touch and go, but they’re fighters,” Ms Guardiano said.

“Mavis was born three months early. So she was only 225g when she was born. She fought her whole way into this world and she’s going to continue fighting.

“As you can imagine they’re not good. I don’t think it’s really sunk in.”

Photographs just weeks before the fatal fire showed a smiling Mavis adorned in her Northern Bay College school uniform, the young girl eager to walk to class with her cousin, who is also her best friend, as the pair did each day.

Ms Guardiano said the children were “average”, “loving” kids who spent all their time together.

“Saige and Isaac would just be inseparable at all times. They are always with each other, never prodded away from each other,” she said.

“They were very very close, all of them. My youngest daughter, she’s Mavis’s best friend.

They are inseparable. They won’t even go to school without each other.”

The children’s uncle Anthony McGregor said Ms Beck and Mr McGregor were struggling to come to terms with planning two funerals for their “vivacious” and “energetic” children, while praying their remaining kids survived.

Mr McGregor said the blaze was a tragic accident.

“She’s (Jasmine) distraught,” he said.

“She’s not handling herself. She’s trying to be the best mum she can be right now and be there to support her children that are suffering.

Police speak to those in shock at the scene. Picture: Alan Barber

“They’re the babies of our family, the youngest members of our family, and they’re gone.

“It was no one’s fault. It was an accident. It happened so fast, and if we could change it, we obviously would.”

Mr McGregor said the siblings were “boisterous, very loving, very naughty”.

“That’s how we want everyone to remember them.

“We don’t want them to think of them as what’s happened to them.

“We’re going to do everything that we can to give them a good burial so that we have a place to go and say hi to them.”

Two children were left fighting for life. Picture: Alan Barber

Friend of the family Damien Sanderson said the community had rallied around.

“The kids are beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Some of them went to my son’s daycare as well,” he said.

The tragedy has devastated the community as residents recounted the horror of seeing the young siblings with severe burns.

Neighbour Kerriann Elkin said: “I (had) seen something I’ll never forget. I ran out and the two kids were all black.

“It was horrible to see children in that state, and you weren’t even sure if they’re alive or not.

“They’re always playing with the neighbour’s kids, as well, so they’re very friendly kids, always active out on their bikes.”

Arson squad detectives are investigating how the fire started but are not treating it as suspicious.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family to help with the funeral costs.

The fire broke out about 10.30am on Sunday. Picture: 9 News

Shockwaves sent through local school

A school community has been left reeling over the devastating shed fire that killed two young children and left a student and her younger brother fighting for life in intensive care.

Northern Bay P-12 College, where Mavis attends the Hendy St campus as a prep student, has brought in mental health support for staff and students who were coming to terms with the tragedy while hoping the surviving children recover from their injuries.

Principal Melissa Maccora said the entire school community extended their sympathies to the McGregor family, as parents Jasmine Beck and Kane McGregor remain by Mavis’ and Isaac’s bedsides in hospital.

“As many of you will be aware, a fire in Corio on Sunday morning tragically claimed the lives of two young children in our community – Saige and Ashlynn McGregor,” she said in a letter to parents and staff.

“One of our Prep students, Mavis, was also involved in the fire and is currently in a critical condition in hospital, along with her other sibling, Isaac McGregor.

“On behalf of our school and school community, I have extended our deepest sympathies to the McGregor family and offered to provide support as required.

“Our thoughts also go to the many students and staff who knew Mavis and her siblings.”

Ms Maccora said the school has offered extra wellbeing support to anyone who knew Mavis and her family or had been impacted by the horrific fire.

“You and your children may be affected by this news in many ways, and individual reactions may vary,” she said.

“We encourage you to let your child know that you are aware of this news and reassure them that they can come to you for support, to ask questions or to talk about how they feel at any time.”

“Completely stunned”: Corio rocked by tragedy

Neighbour Kerriann Elkin recounted the horror of seeing the young siblings being carried out of their house with severe burns.

“I (had) seen something I’ll never forget,” she told the Herald Sun.

“They had brought out the two children that were severely burned.

“It was horrible to see children in that state, and you weren’t even sure if they’re alive or not.

“It’s quite traumatic.”

She described the “chaotic” hours following the tragedy as first responders flooded the street.

“It was a terrible incident and they had the court blocked off all day,” she said.

“I’m hoping the two (in hospital) are going to be okay.”

Ms Elkin said the four siblings were active kids who were often seen playing with other children in the neighbourhood.

“They ride their bikes. They’re very active children,” she said.

“They’re always playing with the neighbour’s kids, as well, so they’re very friendly kids, always active out on their bikes.”

Close friend Damien Sanderson said the entire community had rallied around the family in the wake of the “horrific” blaze.

“What’s happened here is an absolute tragedy,” he said.

“The kids are beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Some of them went to my son’s daycare as well.

“We’re all praying that they survive. I just want them to know that they’ve got all the support here.”

Mr Sanderson said their parents always kept a watchful eye and that the fire was a tragic accident.

“They were doing the best they could,” he said.

“But all we can really do is try and be supportive as we can and put so many different support groups together for when they come home.

“There’s a lot of people saying a lot of silly stuff. It doesn’t need to be said — the family doesn’t need it.”

Detectives on scene after the blaze. Picture: Alan Barber

The community has been left devastated. Picture: Alan Barber

Darren Cheeseman, who has lived nearby for 14 years, said the tragedy had sent shockwaves through the community, and that a lot of local children played together.

“It’s pretty shocking,” he said.

“You don’t think it’s going to happen down the road from you.

“When you’ve got kids yourself, it’s pretty touching. I’m lost for words.”

Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, recalled the horror aftermath of the tragedy.

“I ran out and the two kids were all black,” she said.

“I saw two children very, very, very badly burnt and because that was so upsetting I went back home.”

Corio fire victims Saige, 2, and Ashlynn McGregor, 18 months old, were killed in the fire. Their siblings, Mavis and Isaac, were left fighting for life. Picture: Supplied

Another neighbour said she often saw the kids playing outside.

“The kids always seemed chirpy … out there chasing the chickens and having fun,” she said.

Corio resident Charmaine Lean, 55, said the incident was devastating.

“We’ve heard they were in a shed,” she said.

“I’ve never seen anything like this and I’ve been living here for 10 years.”

Fairbairn Drive resident Stephanie Shaw, 27, saw no early signs of the tragedy.

She said her family was “completely stunned”.

“It’s quite shocking to see all this,” she said. “We didn’t smell smoke or see anything.”

Police investigation will be thorough

Inspector Emma Bartel, of Victoria Police, described the blaze as tragic and said the ­police investigation would be thorough.

“It is an awful, tragic event that’s happened, and for the sake of the family that are ­involved, and the community, we owe it to them to find out what did take place,” she said.

Inspector Emma Bartel says it was a tragic event. Picture: Alan Barber

Police are not treating the fire as suspicious. Picture: David Crosling

“It is unfortunately the worst-case scenario of what we can expect with an incident like this. We can only do our best to support the family and do our best to provide them with some answers.”

Aerial photos from the scene revealed children’s toys and debris scattered across the backyard, while the shed looked largely undamaged.

Officer Ct was blocked by paramedics, police vehicles and fire crews in the wake of the tragedy.

Statements from neighbours will be central to piecing together how the fire unfolded.