Police investigating suspected arson fire that injured two children, father

Two small children were critically injured in Glendale Heights in a fire investigators suspect their father may have intentionally set, authorities said today.

The father, Kaushik Patel, and his two sons, ages 7 and 4, remained hospitalized today at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood.

The 34-year-old Glendale Heights man is listed in critical condition. Hospital officials refused to release the conditions of the children, both of whom attend Pheasant Ridge School.

"As we speak, we're sending home a little flier (to parents)," Queen Bee District 16 Superintendent James White said. "They need to know that we will have social workers and counselors available. The teachers are just devastated, particularly the two who taught these children."

DuPage State's Attorney Joseph Birkett said no criminal charges have been filed. Police said they are at the hospital trying to interview the father, but it's unclear how lucid he is given his condition.

"He is a suspect," Birkett said, "given the circumstances of the fire and the injuries. We're going to continue the investigation."

Authorities said they were called to a family member's home at 1839 Whitney in Hanover Park at 9:15 p.m. Sunday. They said Kaushik Patel had driven there with his two children, also injured, in the back seat.

The father is suspected of setting both children on fire with gasoline in a bathroom inside their home at 1860 Harvest Lane in Glendale Heights, sources said. His wife, Nishaben, was not with the children when they were injured. It's unclear what sparked the incident.

The father and children were rushed to area hospitals, and later airlifted to Loyola, which has an extensive burn unit.

Neighbors said the family moved to their Glendale Heights neighborhood last summer. They are believed to have previously lived in Hanover Park.