Toddlers burned alive

Security guard poured gasoline over children

FOUR toddlers have been killed in a horrific arson attack yesterday morning at a nursery in Brazil.

The Sun reports the tots, aged between two and four, and one teacher were burned alive at the Innocent Children’s People Municipal Education Centre, in Janaúba, Minas Gerias, police said.

The suspect — a security guard named Damiao Soares dos Santos — allegedly threw gasoline over children at the nursery before setting them on fire and himself.

He is also alleged to have locked a teacher in a room before setting fire to the professional. A further 40 people were injured in the attack, with nine left fighting for their lives.

The alleged perpetrator, 50 — who had been working as a nightwatchman at the day care centre for eight years — was taken to hospital with about 90 per cent of burns to his body.

He has since died from his injuries.

Harrowing footage from the scene appears to show distraught parents crowded outside the school in the hope of finding out what has happened to their children.

Lieutenant Colonel John Aparecido Nascimento, commander of Military Police told local news media: “The situation has caused a great deal of commotion in the city. We believe a security guard at the nursery set himself on fire and set fire on children in the kindergarten.”

Janauba Regional Hospital reported that about 40 people had been treated for injuries— 25 of them remain hospitalised suffering from severe burns and 15, who were in shock, have been released.

Among the hospitalised patients, 14 are children aged four to five.

Emergency services were on the scene within minutes of the tragedy as residents gathered at the scene of the attack.

Police rescue helicopters were also dispatched to help support the emergency services.

The motive of the attacker remains unclear.

Some residents have claimed the nightwatchman had recently been sacked by the nursery and came back for revenge.

Brazilian President Michel Temer voiced his horror at the atrocity. He said: “I want to express my solidarity and regret about this event, and hope that these things will not happen again in Brazil, because the world is revolted by the incident.”