Melbourne community rallies as father and son fight for life after oil heater fire destroys their Hillside home

Generous Victorians have rushed to the aid of a Melbourne family left homeless by a devastating house fire, with strangers donating more than $100,000 as a father and his young son fight for their lives.

Fire engulfed the back of their home on Whitmore Pl in Hillside, in Melbourne’s west, about 9.30pm on Tuesday.

The horror blaze has left the family-of-five without a home, but their local community has rallied in extraordinary fashion to support them through their darkest hour.

At the boy’s primary school, dozens of families have donated essential items including slow cookers, toothbrushes, toiletry packs, clothes, socks and school uniforms have been bought and paid for.

“It’s been amazing. There’s everything you could think of,” teacher Holly Evans said.

“Obviously it affects not just the family themselves but the wider school community which is very heartbreaking,” principal Henry Nicdao added.

It’s believed the blaze started in the boys’ bedroom with family saying an oil heater was the cause of the fire.

Unable to enter the room, their father James ran outside and smashed a window to get in.

He pulled the pair out of the window, sustaining serious burns and cut an artery in his arm in the process.

His partner Rochelle managed to escape with their three-year-old daughter Ava-Leigh.

“He put his life on the line to save his boys, save his family,” relative Quincy Jones said.

More than $100,000 has already poured into the family’s GoFundMe page as the community shows its support.

Mother Rochelle suffered minor injuries and was discharged from hospital on Thursday.

However, her partner and seven-year-old son Zayne both remain in critical condition in hospital.

“Praying and hoping that James pulls through and Zayne pulls through as well,” Jones said.

“The main focus at the moment is just making sure they are alright.”

Zayne was placed in the ICU at the Royal Children’s Hospital with third-degree burns to his face, hands and feet according to James’ sister Laressa Turetahi.

James is also in the ICU.

“This young family has lost their home, their belongings, and their sense of safety all in a single night. Doctors have said it will be a long and painful road to recovery for all of them, both physically and emotionally,” Turetahi said.

Neighbour Louise Sheehan told 7NEWS she was awoken by another neighbour who told her about the fire.

Sheehan said the family had only lived at the home for about two years.

“I just saw a lot of smoke … apparently it was all the way down the street,” she said.

“(They are a) good working class family. Really, really nice people.

“It’s devastating … you can rebuild a house, you can do everything but just personal belongings, what you’ve got in there, your whole life, it’s just gone in a second.”

Fire crews managed to get the blaze under control within about 30 minutes, containing it to the rear living area of the home.

Severe heat and smoke damage has impacted the remaining areas of the property, Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) said.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.