A GoFundMe account has been set up for a pastor in Ohio who died while trying to save his family from a house fire. 

Just over a week ago, Mark Robinette awoke to find that his Pickaway County house was on fire. 

"Mark was able to get Andrea and two children who were sleeping upstairs out of the house to safety, but when he tried to rescue the other two children who were still in their bedrooms upstairs, they all perished in the fire," said his brother, Paul Robinett on Facebook.

Mark's cousin Haley said on Facebook that Mark was found holding on to his sons, 17-year-old Gideon and 10-year-old Liam.

"He was a pastor at a local church, and he lived in the Orient with his family. He was also the most giving person you might ever meet," said Haley.

Mark and his wife, Andrea, had eight children, two of whom were adopted. He was a pastor at Foundation Church in Mt. Sterling. He also started the organization Mission to Myanmar, where he helped build an orphanage. 

After hearing about the incident, friends, family and people from the neighbourhood stopped by the home to pray. Robert Ferguson was one of them. He says Mark was his pastor growing up. 

"It's like Mark to go back in that house to give his life for a cause that he believed in. He did that with his ministry. Last night, he did that with his family. What a man."  

Since the incident, prayers and support have been pouring in. A GoFundMe account set up on Jan. 23 is now sitting at over $261 thousand, with a goal of raising $300,000.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.