A 2-year-old boy was badly burned by the blaze his 5-year-old sister started, but the van fire in the Norton Shores Meijer parking lot Saturday almost turned into a funeral pyre for four children.

The children, who were left alone while their parents went into the store, managed to escape and only one was hospitalized. Authorities have removed the children from their parents' custody in the wake of the near tragedy.

Norton Shores police say David Bailey, the son of David and Amanda Bailey of Muskegon Heights, suffered first, second and third-degree burns in the 3:51 p.m. incident as well as smoke inhalation. He was admitted to Spectrum Health-Blodgett Campus and is in good condition today.

The toddler, his sisters, Miranda, 5, and Alana, 4, and 11-month-old brother, John, were left alone in the van while the parents went into the store, said Lt. Timothy LaVigne. Alana Bailey and John Bailey were evaluated at Hackley Hospital and later released.

Police said the children were taken by the protective services division of Muskegon County's Family Independence Agency. A family court hearing scheduled for this afternoon will determine the next step for the children.

"It's an initial hearing to determine whether the children are in immediate danger and should be removed from the home," said Muskegon County Prosecutor Tony Tague. "Afterward, it could be set for a full-blown custody hearing."

Tague also said his office will review the case for possible criminal charges against the parents, "but at this point, our main focus is to ensure the safety of the children."

"It appears the oldest girl was playing with matches and set a diaper on fire," LaVigne said. "She threw the diaper into the front driver's seat and then ran into the store to get her parents."

It was not clear this morning how the parents were notified of the fire. "The father said they were only inside for 5 to 10 minutes," LaVigne said. "They had taken a can of coins inside to the coin machine to exchange for cash."

LaVigne said this morning that store security tapes show the parents were in the store for 10 minutes. The money-counting machine is near the front of the store at 700 W. Norton.

Police said numerous people were in the store's parking lot when the van caught fire.

The first call to 911 was of a vehicle fire, LaVigne said, "but then people heard the screaming."

LaVigne said three men worked together to get the children out of the van. "They got the kids out by feeling around inside the van as it was filled with smoke," LaVigne said.

He said the rescuers broke out a side and rear window. At least some of the doors of the 1992 Chevrolet Astro Sport van were locked, police said, and the keys had been removed.

A Meijer security report shows that apparently after the children were rescued, flames 10-to-15 feet high could be seen as well as thick smoke, LaVigne said.

LaVigne said it appeared David Bailey suffered first and second-degree burns on the front of his body and upper legs and third-degree burns to his back.

In September 1999, a 5-year-old Muskegon Heights girl, Jacklyn Powers, burned to death in a car parked in the lot of the Muskegon Post Office. The child had been left in the car with her 10-year-old sister while her mother and fiance went into the post office. That fire was started by the 10-year-old playing with a cigarette lighter.