Fundraiser set up in bid to raise money for family of Blackpool couple killed in fire

18 July 2024, 16:24 | Updated: 18 July 2024, 16:28

A fundraiser has been set up after a Blackpool couple died in a house fire, leaving their two children orphaned.

Police have not yet named the victims but tributes say Josh Pearson, 28 and Danielle Bamber, 24, perished in the blaze which started around 2.30am on Wednesday on Peter Street in Blackpool.

The couple’s children, aged six and one, remain in hospital.

Now, a GoFundMe set up by Codie Lee, who claims to be Ms Bamber’s “best pal”, has raised over £2,260 in honour of the couple.

The fundraiser includes a tribute Ms Lee says was written by Josh Pearson’s sister.

It reads: “On the 17th of July our family lost my brother Josh who was 28 and his Mrs Danielle who was 24, due to a house fire which had led to us sadly losing Josh, and Danielle at a very young age, also leaving their 2 precious boys Oscar 6 and Lorenzo 18 months without parents.

"Both boys left in hospital one in a coma very unwell and one unwell.

Read more: Two die and two children rushed to hospital after house fire in Blackpool

“Officers were called to their house on Peter Street in Blackpool at 2.39am following reports of a fire with people reported to be inside the property.

“Pronouncing one sadly deceased at the scene and the other pronounced deceased later at the hospital.”

The fundraiser says any cash raised will go towards funeral costs and providing for the couple’s two young boys.

Neighbours have described the tragic blaze as “carnage” and “heartbreaking.”

Carly Ibbotson said: “They were a family with a baby and my heart goes out to them all. It's heartbreaking.

"I saw it all, I heard a guy screaming and looked out of my window and saw all the flames.

"It was 2.36am and I immediately rang 999 my daughter was already awake.

"It was complete carnage - everyone was in the street and screaming.

"There was one guy screaming 'There are babies in there'. The flames were lapping out and after about an hour they put the fire out.

"Then it started up again at the front and it just relit. It's awful, I had lots of calls yesterday checking it wasn't us.

"You just have to hold your family tight. There were lots and lots of firemen in the house.

"They looked awful when they came out covered in smoke. It struck me that they were all so young, it's heartbreaking.

"I told her to tell him they had done an amazing job and were all so brave."

Another spoke of how her partner, Jake Hartill, rescued one of the boys trapped inside the home by smashing a window with a baseball bat.

"If he hadn't got that little boy out, he'd be dead.” she said.

"I heard this almighty bang and I looked out my bedroom window and the whole downstairs was literally in flames.

"You couldn't even see it, it was pure orange. It was like an explosion.

"All I could hear was the dad screaming out, 'Help! Help! Help!' Me and my partner, we ran down.

"Jake got a bat and smashed the window in the door. As he smashed it, the little boy was behind it.

"He lifted him out of the fire and got him out, while the dad was still screaming upstairs.

"His skin was red hot, it were burning. Once we moved the little boy to safety the whole windows just smashed, just blew.

"We all had to stand back because the flames came right out. It was like a wildfire, you can't explain how them flames were."