Fundraiser for little boy, 4, and father killed in horrific Wigan house fire surpasses £60,000

A fundraising campaign for a four-year-old boy and his father, who both tragically died in a horrific house fire, has now surpassed £60,000.

Barry Mason, 45, tragically died in the fire at his family home on Warrington Road in the early hours of April 14. His four-year-old son Ethan also sadly died from his injuries in hospital after Barry bravely ‘ran back’. in to save him’.

The devastating fire, which killed both Barry and Ethan, broke out around 2:30 am. Emergency services responded quickly to the incident and cordoned off the area overnight as the fire swept through the semi-detached house.

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Four-year-old Ethan was rushed to hospital and was placed in an induced coma after his rescue. Police later confirmed the next day that Barry had died, with the family saying he had tried to save Ethan who was trapped inside.

Ethan’s aunt Jessica posted a photo and tribute to Barry on her Facebook page after his death, saying he was the family’s “own superhero.” And after Ethan’s death, two days after she was brought in with serious injuries, she said she “didn’t want his father to be alone.”

She has also set up a fundraising page to support the family left behind after the tragedy. Nearly three weeks later, more than £60,000 has been raised from almost 3,000 people to support them with funeral plans and start rebuilding their lives

The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen of the house on Warrington Road before spreading to the roof. There were six people in the home at the time when neighbors were evacuated.

Earlier, Detective Inspector Lee Gridley, of GMP Wigan District, said: “This is a devastating incident and all our thoughts are with the family of this young boy, who had his whole life ahead of him.

“Along with the previous death, this is a tragedy for the Wigan community and I know many people will be shocked by this heartbreaking news. I hope people will join us in sending their best wishes to everyone involved in this incident as they begin their journey in the healing process.

“While we are not treating the incident as suspicious, if anyone has information they believe is important, please contact us. You can do this by calling the police on 101, quoting log 393 of 14/04/2024.”