PINE BLUFF, Ark. – A 3-year-old boy died in a house fire in Pine Bluff Tuesday afternoon.

The Pine Bluff Fire Department says the fire was at a home on West 20th Avenue.

It was about 2:30 p.m. when firefighters went to the house where they saw flames and heavy smoke coming from all sides of the house.

They knew a young child was trapped inside.

When crews went inside the house, they found a 3-year-old boy in a bedroom on the second floor.

The fire department says the child was taken to a local hospital, but he died shortly after getting there.

After an investigation, the Fire Marshal says the fire was an accident, and an open flame space heater was involved.

Pine Bluff Fire Chief Shauwn Howell says it was a hard day for the community.

“So young, so much life to live and the family has to deal with that,” Howell said. “It’s tough for everybody, not only tough for the family member, but the firefighters, as well.”

The fire department says they had multiple agencies on scene to help with the fire and rescue effort. They say their thoughts and prayers go out to the family during this extremely difficult time.

The Pine Bluff Fire Department says this is a good reminder about space heater safety, as space heaters can cause fires in a handful of different ways.

For a full list of household heating safety tips, click HERE.