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'The Saddest Thing I've Ever Seen': Community Shaken After 3-Year-Old Dies In Arden-Arcade Fourplex Fire

ARDEN-ARCADE (CBS13) – A young child has died after a fourplex caught fire in Arden-Arcade late Thursday morning, authorities say.

The scene was along Carro Drive north of Fair Oaks Boulevard. Metro Fire of Sacramento says the flames were found in one of the back units of the fourplex.

Video captured by a neighbor shows the desperate search for the boy who was trapped inside the burning building.

Two children, ages 3 and 5, were inside the house alone at the time of the fire, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said. Investigators said one of the boys may have found a lighter and accidentally started it.

Their father was able to get one of the children out, but firefighters say the three-year-old died inside.

Candace Sutton and her daughter Ashley watched the whole thing unfold.

"From my balcony, I can just see the smoke, and I see Rob, the dad, running in and out and I'm screaming 'Get out, Rob, get out of there,' and then one of my neighbors said the baby was still in there and that's when I just lost it," Ashley said.

"He was just yelling to the fire department, 'My baby's in there! My son's in that room where the flames are coming from.' Well, the firefighters went up but they never came out with the baby," Candace said.

Humaira Rahimi lives in the next building with boys the same age. They are now worried about their friends.

"The first thing he was asking me was, 'How is my friend? Is he OK?' " Rahimi said of his son.

Arson investigators stayed on the scene into the evening. Criminal charges have not been ruled out, including neglect, authorities said. Both Metro Fire and the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office are investigating.

"That poor baby's gone and it's the saddest thing I've ever seen," Candace said. "I've been crying all day. I come down here and still see them down there and the yellow tape. It's just so sad."

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