Two young boys died and three others were hurt in a blaze that swept through a home in Berkeley Monday morning.
Crews responded to the scene in the 8200 block of Airport Rd. around 5:30 a.m. and found a small-frame home engulfed in flames.
Police Chief Frank McCall said the boys were found inside the dead-bolted front door. Names and ages of the victims have not been released, but Berkeley Fire Chief Henry Williams told KMOV-TV one of the boys was about age 2, the other age 4 or 5.
Police said the father and mother got out through a bedroom window with their 18-month-old daughter but all three were injured, Jackson said. He didn’t have specific details but said the father’s injuries were most severe, partly because he tried to go back into save his other children.
All three suffered burns and smoke inhalation, though the infant was doing better, Williams said.
The victims’ identities have not been released.
Several space heaters were found inside the home, and officials say they may have contributed to the fire. The investigation is ongoing.
Two pastors from Hope Church on Bellefontaine Rd., where the family attends, were said to be with the victims’ late Monday morning helping them cope with their loss.
Information from KMOV.com and The Associated Press contributed to this report.