4-year-old boy dies days after celebrating birthday in Pasadena apartment fire

PASADENA, Calif. - The search for answers continued Thursday after a 4-year-old boy was killed after a fire ignited at an apartment complex in Pasadena. Fire officials said his mother and little brother were also critically injured in the blaze.

According to family members, the young victim had just celebrated his fourth birthday days before the tragedy.

Firefighters were called to the 100 block of East Washington Boulevard, near Fair Oaks Avenue, around 2 p.m. Wednesday, according to Pasadena's Public Information Officer, Lisa Derderian.

Crews arrived to find heavy fire and thick smoke coming from the building and said two units were fully-involved upon arrival.

The second-alarm fire was extinguished about 2:30 p.m., as authorities remained on scene to investigate the cause, Derderian said.

The young victim was identified by family members as Kevin Arias. His mother, Nancy, and his 3-year-old brother, Jordan, were transferred to a burn unit after they were rushed to a local hospital.

A neighbor told FOX 11 that his wife is sick and was at home with their child when the fire sparked. He said his wife managed to save their child and herself right in time before their unit was damaged by the blaze.

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