Four people, including three firefighters, were injured in a fire this morning on Shadeland Avenue.

Pittsburgh firefighters responded to the scene around 1:15 a.m. The fire was in a section of row houses in the 3100 block of Shadeland Avenue.

By then, 15-year-old Wayne Parker Jr. dragged his father away from trying to extinguish the blaze, then he and a neighbor ran back inside to rescue his 83-year-old aunt.

The three-alarm fire destroyed the row house owned by the Parkers.

The adjacent apartment, which was vacant, also sustained some fire damage. Firefighters stopped the blaze before it spread to the other two abandoned units in the row.

Two firefighters, working their way into the basement of the second unit, fell and were injured when the stairs collapsed. The two, whose names were not released, were being treated for minor injuries, fire officials said. One was treated and released at Allegheny General Hospital, and the second remained hospitalized, Fire Chief Darryl Jones said.

A third firefighter suffered minor injuries during the overhaul of the charred structure, the chief said.

Wayne Parker Sr., 54, was being treated in the burn unit at UPMC Mercy. He suffered second-degree burns of the hands, arms, back and chest, his son said.

Wayne Jr. said he smelled smoke around 1 a.m. and immediately checked on his aunt, Angelina Loos, who had been sleeping on the first floor.

Unable to find the family fire extinguisher, Wayne Jr. said he ran to check on his father, whom he found standing in the father's bedroom amid flames trying to put out the fire with the extinguisher.

Wayne Sr. uses an oxygen tank to assist his breathing.

"He was on fire. It was pretty bad," Wayne Jr, said.

As the father and son evacuated, and Wayne Jr. headed back inside for his aunt, another teen happened by and ran inside with him, the teen said.

The two boys helped Ms. Loos to safety.

Wayne Jr. said the family, which had no homeowners' insurance, lost everything else.

The Red Cross is assisting the family, including with their relocation.

Fire investigators said the fire was started when Wayne Sr., who had been smoking in bed, put out the cigarette on a dresser or night stand where some clothing ignited.

Wayne Jr. said he and his father still had been in the kitchen on their way out when they heard the first explosion from the oxygen tank.

He and neighbors said there were more explosions after that.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.