Brothers aged 6 and 4, left at home alone, perish in fire in Hokkaido

Two brothers aged six and four died in a fire that destroyed their father's house in Nakashibetsu, Hokkaido, on Monday night.
Police said that flames were seen coming from the two-story wooden home of Tomoyuki Honda, 38, at around 6:30 p.m. by a neighbor who called 119, Fuji TV reported. It took firefighters about one hour and 45 minutes to extinguish the blaze.
Inside the ruins of the house, firefighters found the unconscious bodies of Nachi Honda, 6, and his four-year-old brother Manato. They were taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead.
Police and firefighters said Tuesday they believe the fire was started by a cigarette lighter which was found by the body of one of the boys on the second floor.
Honda and his wife live apart and the children usually live with her. However, on Monday, she had dropped them off at Honda's place before she and Honda went shopping at a nearby supermarket.


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