‘Bravest kid I know’: Four-year-old used his body to shield siblings in burning shed
Save articles for later
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.
The father of two children killed in a shed fire on Sunday says his four-year-old son, who is fighting for life after surviving the blaze with his older sister, tried to shield his younger siblings from the flames.
Kane McGregor, speaking to reporters outside the Royal Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, said his son Isaac clinically died on Sunday morning but was revived at the scene. He said Isaac suffered third-degree burns to 82 per cent of his body and was now showing signs of kidney and liver failure.
McGregor said Issac had tried to protect his brother Saige, 3, and sister Ashlynn, 18 months, when a couch in the backyard shed they were playing in caught fire at their Corio home, on the northern outskirts of Geelong.
The children’s mother, Jasmine Beck, 26, said she smelled smoke and rushed to pull the children out of the burning shed, but Saige and Ashlynn sadly died at the scene.
“She said once she finally got the couch moved, and grabbed Mavis first, Isaac had the other two huddled under him so that they didn’t burn,” McGregor said, fighting back tears.
“What four-year-old huddles over his two little siblings? He stayed there until he died himself. They revived him, flew him here [the Royal Children’s Hospital]. I couldn’t be prouder of him really.”
Kane McGregor, the father of four children caught in a fatal shed fire, speaks to reporters on Tuesday.Credit: Nine News
McGregor said Isaac was unable to undergo surgery on Tuesday morning as doctors thought he probably would not survive the procedure. McGregor and Beck are waiting and hoping for his condition to improve.
“He’s real strong. The bravest kid I know,” McGregor said.
The father said Mavis’ condition was relatively positive. She is scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday and Friday for burns to about 30 per cent of her body.
“All seems well with Mavis at the moment,” he said. “She’s stable and a lot less burnt. So hopefully, she should be on the mend soon.”
Mother Jasmine Beck and her four children: Mavis, Isaac (also bottom left), who are being treated at Royal Children’s Hospital, and Saige and Ashlynn, who died in a shed fire on Sunday.Credit: Justin McManus; Supplied
McGregor said he had dressed, showered and fed his children on the morning of the tragic fire before he departed for Melbourne for the day.
“As I was leaving, Isaac, [ran] up, gave me a cuddle and a kiss. An hour later, I get a phone call,” he said.
“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.”
The coroner will still likely probe the fire’s cause after Victoria Police determined it was not suspicious.
However, McGregor said an arson squad detective had told him one of the children “must have had a clicky lighter” when the blaze started.
He thanked neighbours who rushed to help and the broader community for their support.
“It’s good to see the community band together and see how many people actually do care,” he said.
The family is planning a vigil on Saturday evening at Rosewell Reserve in Corio.
Beck suffered minor burns to her hands when she tried to save the children, family members told reporters on Monday.
On Tuesday, McGregor said Beck was distraught but remained at the bedside of Mavis and Isaac.
“It sort of hasn’t even sunk in,” he said.
Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here.
Most Viewed in National
From our partners
Source: Read Full Article