A second teenager has died in hospital following a suspected e-bike fire at a house in Blackpool, just days after the blaze claimed the life of a 13-year-old boy. Joey Gregory, 19, succumbed to brain injuries that his mother described as "too catastrophic for him to survive."
Details of the Incident
The fire broke out on June 30 at a property on Redcar Road in Blackpool. Emergency services were called at around 9:37 a.m. Joey was rushed to Wythenshawe Hospital, where he was placed in a coma and treated for severe injuries. He died on July 9. Coby Keogh, 13, also suffered serious injuries in the same fire and died five days earlier.
Three other people inside the property sustained minor injuries. Lancashire Police and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service are investigating the cause of the fire. Officers have stated there is no evidence of third-party involvement and believe the blaze was started by an e-bike.
Organ Donation and Family Tributes
Joey's mother, Sally, shared the devastating news on Facebook, revealing that Joey had opted into organ donation when he was 17. His kidneys, liver, pancreas, and heart were donated to four recipients in need. Sally wrote: "This pain is eased by the fact that our son may save 4 other lives." She described Joey as a "hero" and added: "We are not angry. We are surrounded by nothing but love."
Joey's father, Harry, paid tribute: "Rest in peace my little blue eyed boy... I'll love and miss you forever.. Now it's time to do God's work."
Community Response
A GoFundMe page set up to support Joey's family has raised over £11,600 in donations. Sally had earlier shared updates as Joey fought for his life, noting that doctors had initially said the first 24-48 hours were critical, then 72 hours. By day five, she wrote: "Keep fighting sunshine, we ain't going nowhere."
Lancashire Police and the fire service continue their investigation into the incident.
