Tsu residential fire kills four children

Four children, aged between 4 and 13, died following a residential fire in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, on Friday. The fire broke out in a single-story wooden house in the Karasu-cho area.

The victims include a 4-year-old girl and three other children, aged 10, 12, and 13, who were visiting the home. The residence was occupied by a 38-year-old Brazilian man and his daughter, while the other three children were the offspring of a 43-year-old female friend of the man.

At the time of the fire, the man and his friend were not inside the house. They returned to find the building ablaze and attempted to enter to rescue the children but were injured due to the intensity of the flames. Witnesses reported hearing sounds of gas canisters exploding during the incident.

Firefighters battled the blaze for approximately two hours. During the operation, cries for help were reportedly heard from inside the building. After the fire was brought under control, emergency responders discovered the four bodies. Police and fire departments are currently conducting on-site investigations to determine the exact cause of the fire.