SAN BERNARDINO – (INT) – A father who survived an apartment fire that killed his two children pleaded no contest Wednesday to a series of charges that included involuntary manslaughter.

Efrain Suarez was severely burned while trying to rescue the children, aged 6 and 2, from their flaming apartment. The incident occurred in the middle of the night in November 2014.

Suarez had been told to move out of the small apartment 10 days earlier because of code enforcement violations. The apartment was among three units under bank foreclosure.

Investigators determined the fire started in the kitchen because of heat from some unspecified power equipment source. The family’s living conditions contributed to the fire.

Under Suarez’ plea, a San Bernardino Superior Court judge sentenced him to 2-years in county jail.

Story Date: May 2, 2016