One-year-old Tajzon James -- rescued from a weekend car fire that claimed the lives of his two older brothers -- was released from an Akron hospital yesterday.

Meanwhile, police and fire investigators were still searching for the cause of the Sunday afternoon blaze that left 2-year-old Robert and 4-year-old Sharif James dead.

The two boys died of smoke inhalation, police said yesterday. Tajzon was kept overnight in the burn unit at Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron, but was allowed to go home with his family yesterday afternoon.

There was speculation yesterday that one of the children in the car was playing with a cigarette lighter or matches. But investigators said they were unable -- at this point -- to confirm that.

The James family declined to speak with the media yesterday. A relative, who answered the door at the family's Vincent Street home, said the family was too distraught to talk.

``We have received an outpouring of sympathy,'' he said. ``But I think people will understand that this is a painful time for everybody in the family.''

Arrangements are pending with Stewart & Calhoun
funeral home.

The three boys were in the back seat of the family's car, which was parked in the driveway of a Yale Street home about 4 p.m. Sunday.

Tajzon and Robert were strapped into car seats, while Sharif was seated between them. All three were dressed in Halloween costumes, prepared to go to a holiday party with their mother, Tara James.

Police say Tara James went into the Yale Street house to pick up some meatballs she planned to take to the party from her friend, James Brooks, who owns the rental property. While she was in the house, the car caught fire.

Police yesterday credited Brooks with saving the baby and trying to save the other two. Brooks, they say, tried to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher and pulled Tajzon out of the burning car. He went back to get the other two boys, but was unable to rescue them because the vehicle had become fully engulfed, said Akron Police Maj. Paul Callahan.

Fire investigators and detectives examined the car yesterday and planned to reinterview witnesses today. Summit County Medical Examiner Marvin Platt did autopsies yesterday on the two young boys.

Callahan said the two boys' bodies were badly burned, but it appeared they died very quickly of smoke inhalation.

``Once the fire started, they took one to two breaths and then they were gone,'' he said.

Callahan said he does not believe police will file charges against Tara James. They say she was only inside the house for a few minutes when the car caught fire.

Fire investigators said the car was not running at the time of the fire, and the fire was not caused by a defect in the vehicle. In addition, investigators determined that no accelerants, such as gasoline, were involved in the fire, said Lt. Dennis Nelson, an Akron fire investigator.

The fire started in the passenger area of the car -- not under the hood or in the trunk -- but investigators said they have not determined whether it originated in the front or back seat.

Nelson said there are so many flammable items in a car that a fire spreads quickly.

``With car fires, there are so many synthetics that once the fire starts, it generates so much heat that it's like a furnace,'' he said. ``The car burned hot and fast.''

Two charred tire marks, some broken glass and a few strands of yellow police tape were all the evidence that remained yesterday of the car fire that took two lives.

That, and the haunting memories. Several people in the neighborhood, including children, watched the fire.

``It was something terrible to see,'' said Jennifer Henderson, 20, who was walking to a nearby carryout when the car caught fire. ``I was hysterical, crying.''

Gino Harris, who was with Henderson, said he saw smoke pouring out of the car and heard people screaming that there were kids in it. He ran up to the car, but the fire had spread throughout the vehicle.

``I couldn't see the kids because there was too much fire,'' the 18-year-old said. ``I was thinking, `This ain't happening.' ''

Mike Posley, who happened to be driving by and stopped to see if he could help, said he was left shaken by what he saw -- especially because he has children nearly the same age as the James brothers.

``At the time this happened, my kids are normally taking naps. But when I got home, I woke them up and gave them hugs,'' Posley said.