Norwich ― A 19-year-old Norwich man who worked as a custodian in the public school system here died Jan. 4 of injuries suffered in a New Year’s Eve crash in Colchester.

Mason M. Fish, 19, of 57 Cranberry Pond Road, a back-seat passenger in the car, died of his injuries. His brother, Chance Fish, 21, also a back-seat passenger who lives at 57 Cranberry Pond Road, suffered life-threatening injuries. Driver Hunter B. Fellows, 20, of Colchester, suffered life-threatening injuries and a front-seat passenger, Nicholas R. Andersen, 20, of Colchester, suffered minor injuries, according to a state police report.

It was the second death of a Norwich schools custodian in the past month. Veteran custodian Glenn Gordon, 52, died on Dec. 8 after an illness.

According to the state police , Fish and the three other men were in a 1991 Pontiac Sunbird heading westbound on Route 16 in Colchester at 10:07 p.m. Dec. 31, when the car veered to the left at the intersection with Cemetery Road and struck a tree.

Mason and Chance Fish were ejected from the car. All four occupants were taken to Hartford Hospital, and Mason Fish died Wednesday.

Family supporters have started a GoFundMe page fundraiser seeking to raise $100,000 for the Fish family to cover unexpected expenses. Mason and Chance Fish are the sons of Scott and Holly Fish of Norwich. Mason graduated from Norwich Free Academy in 2021, and Chance in 2019. The fundraiser page said Chance Fish is in the hospital “fighting for his life.”

Hartford Hospital officials could not be reached Friday for information on the conditions of the crash victims.

“His entire family is gathering and loving each other wholeheartedly in an effort to rise from this unthinkable situation,” the fundraiser page said. “Aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, and an amazing number of neighbors and friends are praying together.”

Mason Fish was hired in November as a custodian for Norwich Public Schools. He worked in the school system’s administrative offices, Kelly Middle School and at the Norwich Transition Academy. School Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow praised Fish for his work, cheerful personality and friendliness.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Mason’s family at this time as they grieve the loss of Mason and pray for the full recovery of Chance,” Stringfellow wrote in a letter to staff on Friday. “Our thoughts and prayers are also with our custodian and maintenance staff as they have suffered such tragic loss this year already.”

Gordon had worked for the school system since September 2010. He had served as head custodian at the Global Studies Teachers’ Memorial Magnet Middle School for several years before moving to the same position at Veterans’ Memorial School this year.

Stringfellow said she got to know Gordon last year, when she moved her office temporarily to the Global Studies school. She said Gordon was widely respected throughout the district and described him as “such a pleasant man.”

The Board of Education held a moment of silence for Gordon at the December board meeting and will do the same on Tuesday in Fish’s memory.

“It’s just been such a rough month,” Stringfellow said.

c.bessette@theday.com