On Tuesday, investigators continued to try and determine the cause of a Siler City apartment fire that claimed the lives of two boys, ages 2 and 3, who were killed Monday morning when a fire gutted their home at Brookwood Apartments.

"We do know that the fire started in the downstairs living room," Siler City fire chief Mitch Vann said. "The mother was in the home at the time."

Siler City Police said late Tuesday that they are continuing their probe, including investigating conflicting accounts, and charges may be pending.

The fire department received a call at 11:16 a.m. that an apartment at 749 West Dolphin Street was burning.

Firefighters were on the scene within five minutes.

When they arrived, flames had already engulfed the first two floors of the two-story apartment building.

"We had the fire under control in about 10 minutes and began a rescue," Vann said.

David Reeves, one of the first firefighters on the scene, received second-degree burns on his face as he attempted to enter the building.

"He was transported to the hospital but was treated and released," Vann said.

Firefighters entered a second story bedroom through a window and located the boys.

"We were able to get them out and begin resuscitation efforts," said Vann.

Captain Scott Brown of the Siler City Fire Department entered the second story bedroom on the department’s ladder truck.

"We went in through the window while the hose crews were working downstairs," he said.

Vann was not sure if the children were asleep at the time of the fire but said officials believe the children may have run upstairs in an effort to escape the flames.

The boys were identified as Oswaldo Mendoza, 3, and Jose Manuel Mendoza Ocampo, 2.

The children were transported to Chatham Hospital in Siler City, where they were pronounced dead.

Ocampo Barbarosa, escaped without injuries, officials said.

The boys’ father, Reyes Mendoza, was not home at the time.

Beto Moreno, who lives several units down from the burned apartment was at home when the fire erupted.

"I feel very bad about it," Moreno said. "I heard the mother screaming and heard the fire trucks.

"We came outside to see what was happening," he said.

Moreno said he did not know the mother but said she was a friend of his cousin.

Brookwood Apartments manager Faye Gaines was also on the scene but said she was too upset by the tragic event and "unable to talk about this right now."

A number of firefighters converged on the scene. Bonlee and Staley fire departments assisted the Siler City Fire Department.

The Siler City Police Department, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Chatham County Emergency Operations and the North Carolina Highway Patrol also responded to the call.

On Monday morning, counselors were available for students at Northwood High School and Horton Middle School as they coped with the loss of three classmates killed in a Sunday morning car crash.

Killed in the single-car accident on Fire Tower Road near Pittsboro were 16-year-old Jeffrey Lamont Alston, who was driving; and his two passengers, 15-year-old Brandon Womble and 13-year-old Demetrius Alston.

The teenagers died from injuries sustained when Alston lost control of the 1991 Lexus he was operating, running off the right side of Fire Tower Road before overcorrecting and driving off the left side of the road where the car hit a tree, according to an NC Highway Patrol report.

After hitting the tree, the car continued south and collided with a rock before overturning and hitting another tree, the Patrol report stated.

The accident occurred at approximately 11:23 a.m.

The car’s estimated original traveling speed was 80 miles per hour, according to the Patrol. The estimated speed at impact was 65 miles per hour.

Chatham County School system officials learned of the deadly accident a short time later, said school system public information officer Beth McCullough.

"We immediately put our crisis mode in place," McCullough said.

School officials prepared letters that went home with students Monday explaining to parents "how to help their students through the loss of a classmate," McCullough said.

Crisis teams consisting of school guidance counselors, social workers and school nurses were on hand Monday for students at both schools, which operated on normal schedules.

"They’ll be there for as many days as they’re needed," she said.

The sudden loss of three students is a difficult one, McCullough said.