BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Two men were killed and three children injured after a fire that began around 4 a.m. Friday on Humber Avenue, on Buffalo's east side.

Family members said one of the people who died was Demetrius Johnson, 24. They said he helped save his fiancée, Tempest Thomas, and one child before going back into the burning home to save the rest of the family.

Firefighters say Demetrius Johnson did not make it back out, but two other children did.

Fifteen-month-old Demarius Johnson was treated and released, while 3-year-old Demetrius Johnson Jr. remains at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, but is expected to recover from smoke inhalation. 

Treasure Brighon, who is 8 years old, was burned over 90 percent of her body and has been transported to Shriners Hospitals for Children in Cincinnati. Hospital officials in Buffalo say the girl's prognosis for survival is good but her road to recovery will be a long and difficult process.

The body of a 49-year-old man was also found in the home.

Two firefighters were treated for minor burns at ECMC and released. Fire investigators are not ruling out arson as they work to determine exactly what happened.

"We have not ordered a demolition. We will not do that until we have sufficiently ascertained the cause or origin of the fire. Until our investigators are through with the scene, at that time we will order a demolition. There is no time frame. We want to do our due diligence," said Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield.

Crews were taking the building apart piece by piece as they look for evidence for what may have sparked the fire. So far, they're not sure exactly how long that will take.

"He died as a hero. He saved his family," said Lorez Collier, the mother of Demetrius Johnson. She heard a knock at her door this morning.

"It was Tempest, one of her friends and she told me that I was asked to get up to Children’s Hospital and I asked for what and she told me I can’t tell you but you have to be up there and in the process of getting up there was when she told me that the house caught on fire, the kids was burnt, my son has passed."

Collier says she was told that as flames tore through the home, her son helped bring Tempest and one child to safety. He went back inside to try to get to two more children and never made it out.

"We are experiencing a lot this morning. We’re having a difficult time. It’s a lot to take in the course of a day," said Cheryl Collier.

Collier says Johnson was an excellent son and a loving father to his own two boys. He was also getting ready to start the next chapter in his life -- he proposed to Thomas on Valentine's Day.

She says he was also the type of person who'd help anyone in need.

"Before this happened, he went into a burning house two months ago looking for an elderly lady but found out that she was at church when he house burned down," Lorez said.

"The only thing I keep hearing in my ear and that brings a smile to my face is I hear him saying 'Mom I’m OK, I’m at peace.'"

Lorez said she doesn't know much about the other man who died,  only that he lived in the upstairs apartment. She says the priority now is being there for her son's fiance and children during this difficult time.