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Police in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have confirmed that three children, including two-year-old twins, died in a house fire in Shawuong Village of Malual Centre Payam, Aweil North County.

According to Northern Bahr el Ghazal Police spokesperson Colonel Madut Ngong Aleu, the tragic incident happened at around 11:05 a.m. on March 13th after the children were reportedly left alone inside the house by their mother.

Ngong told Eye Radio that the mother had cooked food and left a saucepan on the fire before leaving the home. Authorities believe the children may have played with the fire, causing flames to spread rapidly throughout the house.

“There was a house with three children. One child was four years old, the eldest, and the other two children were twins, a boy and a girl aged two years,” Colonel Madut said.

“Their mother left them at home after cooking and leaving the saucepan on the fire. It is thought the children played with the fire until it caught the house at around 11:05 in the morning,” he added.

Colonel Madut said the fire completely engulfed the house before neighbours could respond because nearby homes were about 100 metres away.

“The fire spread completely through the house and the children were burned. The neighbours did not manage to reach and rescue the children,” he explained.

He said investigations into the incident are ongoing while police authorities continue urging parents and guardians to avoid leaving children unattended near cooking fires or other sources of heat.

The tragedy has shocked residents in the area, with community members mourning the loss of the three young children.