DETROIT – Authorities say 12-year-old Quartez Burrell was killed Friday morning at 4:51 in a house fire at his home in the 8200 block of Lyford Avenue.
Quartez and his brother, a 17-year-old, became trapped in an upstairs bedroom during the fire. The 17-year-old, Cortez Burrell Jr., is in critical condition, authorities say.
A full Detroit Fire Department company responded to the fire. However, before they arrived the boys' father, Cortez Burrell, braved the smoke and flames to try to save his sons.
"The father himself tried to go back in and get the kids," said Frank Taylor, a family member. "I don't know what condition (the father) is in."
He suffered cuts to his hands but otherwise is OK -- physically.
Detroit Fire Chief Robert Volgay's crew took over and immediately went into the burning house.
"What we found on arrival was a small fire up in the front of the building and we extracted two children from the house -- one 17 and the other 12," said Volgay.
Cortez Jr. suffered burns and smoke inhilation. He's in critical condition at a hospital.