2 kids killed in San Bernardino apartment fire; dad critically injured

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- Two children were killed in an apartment fire in San Bernardino Thursday morning, and their father was critically injured. Family members say their pregnant mother was in labor at the hospital at the time of the fire.

Firefighters responded to the 260 block of W. 14th Street around 3 a.m. after a unit in the two-story building caught fire. Crews responded to the blaze after a neighbor walking a dog spotted smoke spewing from the upstairs unit. The flames were knocked down in about 20 minutes.

"When (firefighters) arrived on scene, they could hear an adult male inside...screaming for help. They made access into the apartment, rescued that adult male from that burning apartment," said Rodd Mascis with the San Bernardino Fire Department. "Subsequently, firefighters continued on in and located two children."

Fire officials say the 2-year-old boy and 6-year-old girl were found unconscious behind the living room couch. Paramedics tried but were unable to revive the siblings. They were transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.

Their father, identified by family members as Saul Leetch, was listed in critical condition. Leetch's cousin, Josh, told Eyewitness News that his uncle suffered second- to third-degree burns and is "almost unrecognizable." He was found on the floor near the front door.

"We're trying to get any type of identification so that the hospital can make sure it's him," Josh said. "I seen his face, and I don't recognize him."

The little girl, Candra Leetch, was a first-grader at Lincoln Elementary School, according to the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

"They were nice kids, I just feel bad for them," neighbor Raylene Gonzalez said. "They were friends with my kids, they were playing here not even a month ago, and it's just sad."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities say that in the past, the apartment had numerous code violations, as well as fire hazards and unsafe living conditions that would prevent people from getting out quickly during an emergency. The burned apartment had no smoke detector, fire officials said.

The San Bernardino Police Department says the property was a foreclosure and had been boarded up just 10 days ago. The family had repeatedly been kicked out of the property, but kept coming back.

"The people in the property were there basically illegally, the electricity, water and gas had been turned off, however they had activated that again through illegal means," San Bernardino Police Lt. Rich Lawhead said.

The city had issued more than $100,000 in fines because of code violations at the property since 2009, authorities said.

"This property should not have been occupied," City Attorney Gary Saenz said.

Mayor Carey Davis says having squatters living in foreclosed properties is far too common a problem in the city of San Bernardino, and this incident is a tragic reminder of how dangerous it can be.

Meantime, Josh tells Eyewitness News that his aunt gave birth to a child at St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino late Thursday afternoon. She was also informed about the tragedy. She's heartbroken, but will soon be interviewed by police about the incident.

A makeshift memorial has been set up outside the apartment complex where the two children lost their lives.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.