Union claims under-resourcing led to delayed Melbourne fatal fire response

The first fire crews arrived at the blaze more than nine minutes after it was reported. (ABC News: Tara Whitchurch)

The United Firefighters Union says under-resourcing meant crews arrived "too late" to a fatal fire in Werribee yesterday.

Three-year-old Jordan Dashwood died, and his father suffered serious burns in the house fire.

The union says the only fire truck at the nearest station had already been called to a job when the fire was reported.

The Victorian firefighters union says under-resourcing prevented crews from arriving sooner at a house fire in Werribee yesterday, which claimed the life of a child.

Three-year-old Jordan Dashwood died after a fire started at the boy's family home in Newbury Street just after midnight.

His father, Jeremy Dashwood, was taken to hospital with serious burns, and another child escaped by jumping out of a window.

The first fire crews on scene, from the Country Fire Authority (CFA), arrived more than nine minutes after the fire was reported, and Fire Rescue Victoria crews arrived several minutes later.

Fire Rescue Victoria has a target response time of 7.7 minutes.

The United Firefighters Union said the nearest fire station to the house has only one fire truck, which had already been deployed to another incident.

Union secretary Peter Marshall said firefighters had been calling for a second vehicle at the station for ten years.

Three-year-old Jordan Dashwood died in a house fire in Werribee earlier this week. (Supplied)

He said crews would have responded to the incident well within the target response time had they been better resourced.

"The reality is that that particular house fire is very close to the fire station," Mr Marshall said.

Leading Firefighter at the Tarneit station, Josh Mitchell, said he and other firefighters at the station were devastated at the outcome of the fire.

"We should have been first in the door at that house fire; unfortunately, our truck was at Lara fire station covering Lara as a result of Lara having a mechanical issue with their truck," he said.

Leading Firefighter at Tarneit, Josh Mitchell, says the station is not adequately resourced. (ABC News: James Oaten.)

"It's heartbreaking because there are a lot of 'what ifs?" I don't know if us getting there six, seven minutes quicker could have made a difference, but you do ask yourself that question."

Mr Mitchell said the resourcing at the fire station is not adequate to service an area with a fast-growing population.

"You only have to drive north of here to see the amount of new houses here; we've got data centres, factor