A hero toddler saved the lives of his mUm and baby sister by sounding the alarm to a house fire - but died after running back through the flames to hide in his bedroom.

Heartbroken Whitney Johnson, 26, says she had fallen asleep on the sofa with DJ, two, and five-week-old Nyla when a heater exploded and sparked an inferno.

The smoke detector in their apartment failed and it was only when DJ woke up and shouted her name that Whitney stirred to find her living room burning.