DEADLY FLAT FIRE ’NOT SUSPICIOUS’
POLICE SPOKESMAN ON FATAL BLAZE More than £18k raised to assist the family
A HOUSE fire which killed three children and left their mother fighting for her life is not being treated as suspicious.
Fiona Gibson, 12, and her brothers Alexander, eight, and Philip, five, died after a blaze ripped through their home in Paisley on Friday night.
Their mother, Julie Daley, 39, is in a critical condition at the town’s Royal Alexandra Hospital.
A police spokesman said yesterday the fire is not being treated as suspicious and added: “An investigation is under way to establish the exact circumstances of this incident.”
Meanwhile, a JustGiving fundraising page set up to help the grief-stricken family has now raked in more than £18,000.
The initial target was to raise £10,000. But in just a few days, that target has been smashed and donations continue to flood in. The cash backing comes after the childrens’ heartbroken dad, Alex Gibson, sobbed on Father’s Day as he knelt down to look at tributes left outside the flat for his three “little angels”.
He broke down as he looked at the remains of their home – an upper cottage flat in Renfrew Road – while supported by family members and escorted by two police family liaison officers.
Alex had walked to the nearby Esso garage to buy sweets and crisps for his children. When he returned at about 9pm, the family home was engulfed in flames.
Expressing his grief on social media, he posted: “How I miss them already. Now I know what it feels like when your world comes crashing down.” It followed an earlier message from the distraught dad, which read: “Rest in peace, u little angels.”
Alex, who loved making TikTok videos for his children and hoped to go to Florida with them when lockdown was over, was too upset to speak to reporters.
The JustGiving page was set up by family friend Esther Clark.
She asked for help for the family, who had lost everything.
It read: “On Friday, June 19, a fire destroyed the house of a family in Gallowhill, Paisley.
“Three children – Fiona, 12, Alexander, eight, and Philip, five – were taken by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital but sadly died a short time after admission.
“Their mum is in ICU in a critical condition.
“Parents have lost their children and all their worldly possessions in this devastating house fire.”
All three were pronounced dead a short time after being admitted to hospital.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said six crews at the scene were met with a “well-developed” blaze in the first-floor property.
A police spokesman said: “Anyone who has information that could assist our inquiries should contact police via 101, quoting incident number 3669 of June 19, 2020.”
Chief Inspector Rhona Fraser, area commander for Paisley, said: “My thoughts are with the family and the effect this has had on them and the local community.
“Officers remain at the address while inquiries continue. This is standard procedure and a report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”