2 Young Brothers Killed in House Fire

An early morning fire Saturday killed two young brothers who may have tried to find safety in a bathroom at their San Bernardino home, authorities said.

The bodies of Aaron Ashley, 2, and his brother, Don, 4, were found about 1:20 a.m. in a rear bedroom’s bathroom. One boy was in the shower and the other about three feet away next to the sink, but neither was burned, said Battalion Chief Howard Bennett of the San Bernardino City Fire Department.

“When we lose two little kids like that, it’s especially hard,” he said.

Fire officials said they believe the blaze started just before 1 a.m. in the rear master bedroom. The smell of smoke woke up a family friend, who was watching the children while their mother was at a neighbor’s house.

The man, who was not identified, woke up the boys’ 13-year-old sister, who ran outside and called 911. He reentered the home to get the boys, but was stopped by intense flames, smoke and heat, Bennett said. The man then tried going in through a bathroom window, but the smoke was too thick and the window too hot.

Eighteen firefighters extinguished the blaze at the one-story house in the 2700 block of West Spruce Street within 15 minutes, Bennett said. Three engines, a truck and ambulance were sent to the house, he said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but officials have ruled out the family’s Christmas tree. Damage was estimated at about $40,000 to the house and $10,000 to the contents.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of the boys’ deaths. A firefighter suffered minor burns to his hands while trying to rescue the children.