Nearly $9000 in public donations has been raised in less than 24 hours for two young children who were left fighting for life after a house fire in Mooroolbark, in Melbourne's east.
Local resident Andrew Hart set up a crowdfunding campaign for an 11-year-old boy and eight-year-old girl, who remain in a critical but stable condition in a Melbourne hospital after suffering smoke inhalation.
A woman believed to be the mother of the children tragically died in Monday's blaze and Mr Hart vowed to offer support to the family.
"I would like to help raise some money for them to help pay for some new clothes, toys and anything else that they may need," he wrote.
The campaign surpassed its $2000 goal within hours and as of Wednesday afternoon had amassed more than $8000 in public donations.
Emergency services were called to a home, where they found the unconscious woman with injuries to her stomach and she later died.
The children are being treated in an intensive care unit, where their father is believed to be with them.
Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire.
