A 3-year-old Bellevue boy died in a duplex fire at 141st Place Southeast off Southeast Eighth Street early Monday morning after firefighters pulled him from a bedroom on the second floor of the burning building.

Bellevue Fire Lt. Rich Burke said crews responded to a call from neighbors who reported seeing the flames in the Lake Hills cul-de-sac around 1:22 a.m. Firefighters reported seeing heavy flames at the rear of the duplex as they were approaching the unit from 140th Place Southeast.

“As (firefighters) came around the block, they were met on the street by the mother and a roommate of the mom,” he said. “They had initially escaped and a neighbor had got a ladder up on the roof to get them off of that.”

Firefighters attacked the fire from the front of the duplex in an attempt to reach the child on the second floor.

“Unfortunately, it flashed and they had to back out,” said Burke, but firefighters were eventually able to reach the boy.

The child was transported to Harborview Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Burke said. The mother and roommate were uninjured. The other unit was protected by a fire wall between the two.

The fire is being investigated by Bellevue Police and a cause is expected to be announced within 24 hours, he said, adding he can’t confirm if it is suspicious in nature.

“Anytime there’s a fatality, Bellevue Police and Bellevue Fire work hand in hand to get that accomplished,” Burke said.