A three-year-old boy has died in a house fire in Melbourne's outer west, with his father critically injured in a failed rescue attempt. The blaze broke out just after midnight on Monday at a home on Newbury Street in Werribee.
Emergency services found the child deceased inside the property, while a male resident was taken to hospital with serious burns. The boy has been identified as Jordan Dashwood, described by a family friend as 'a bright light in this world'.
Jordan's mother, Janelle, and his older brother escaped the fire unharmed. His father, Jeremy, 40, remains in a coma after suffering burns while trying to save his son. Two family dogs also died in the incident.
Fire Rescue Victoria said 40 firefighters, including Country Fire Authority crews, took about an hour to bring the blaze under control. The single-storey brick home was fully alight when crews arrived.
Police have cordoned off the property and are investigating the cause of the fire, though it is not being treated as suspicious. An arson chemist is expected to examine the scene, and reports suggest investigators may look into whether an e-scooter battery sparked the blaze.
