Preston house fire: Community rallies round to give young Preston blaze victims, 3, and 5, ‘funeral they deserve’

A community is rallying round to make sure a tragic brother and sister, who died after a house fire in Preston earlier this month, get ‘a funeral they deserve’
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A crowdfunding appeal has been launched to help pay for the youngsters' service and repatriation to their family’s homeland of Romania.

Louis Constantin Busuioc, five, and his three-year-old sister Desire-Elena Busuioc died in hospital four days after the blaze at home in Coronation Crescent, Frenchwood. A decision was made to withdraw medical intervention.

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The children's mother Lorena Busuioc was injured in the blaze which happened at around 8pm on Friday April 8. It is understood her injuries are not life-threatening.

The badly damaged house in Coronation Crescent.The badly damaged house in Coronation Crescent.
The badly damaged house in Coronation Crescent.

Inquests into the deaths of the children were opened and adjourned at the Coroner's Court in Preston today (Monday).

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The GoFundMe appeal set up by relatives has so far topped £6,000.

Organiser Alina-Paulina Vicol explained: "We are all devastated by Desire’s and Louis’s loss and we were not prepared for the high cost of a funeral service and repatriation to Romania from England.

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"We want to give Desire and Louis the memorial they deserve, to honour their memory and say our last goodbyes."

Brave neighbours tried desperately to rescue the youngsters but were driven back by heat and dense smoke.

The children were brought out by firefighters and rushed to the Royal Preston Hospital in a critical condition before being transferred to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Aline-Paulina paid tribute to the youngsters. She said: “Desire and Louis were wonderful, happy, bubbly daughter and son, who touched the lives of those around them.

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"Desire was looking forward to start nursery this September. 'Mummy I can’t wait to go to nursery, so I can be with Louis all day not like now just in the afternoons and evenings.'

"Desire always wanted to be told that she is beautiful: 'I’m beautiful, I’m a princess, isn’t it true mummy and daddy.'

"Louis couldn’t wait for school to finish to come home and play with his sister.

"Louis loved Paw Patrol, cars and loved food, he would eat anything including vegetables. 'I will be big and strong if I eat this, I’m going to be superman.'”

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The blaze broke out around 8pm on Friday April 8. The mother and her two children were trapped upstairs in the mid-terraced property.

Flowers and toys including a doll and a cuddly dog were left on the street in front of the badly damaged house.

A Frenchwood Community Primary School T-shirt was left by one of the children’s friends with “To Louis, I will miss you” and a red heart drawn on it.

A message on one of the bouquets said “Fly high little ones” and another read “Good night, God bless to you both”.

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Neighbours said the family had lived in the house for 18 months to two years and “kept themselves to themselves”.

A joint investigation by the police and fire brigade is continuing into the cause of the blaze. A 24-year-old man who was initially arrested on suspicion of arson, was released without charge.

Here is the link to the GoFundMe page: https://gofund.me/ce2714df