Father, son killed in fire

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- A father and his young son died of smoke inhalation early Monday while trying to escape a fire that apparently was sparked by an unattended candle, authorities said.

Fire officials said Thomas Martin, 29, and his wife went to retrieve their children upon awaking. The woman escaped with a baby girl through a bedroom window. She went to a neighbor who called 911 around 12:43 a.m., officials said.

Firefighters found Martin and his son, Spencer, 3, in the hallway leading to the bedroom area. They were taken to Independence Regional Health Center, where they were declared dead.

Fire officials said the blaze heavily damaged the home's structure and its contents, but no damage estimate was immediately available.