Two children, 5 and 6, die in fire at their family home in Emmen

Two children aged 5 and 6, were killed in a fire at their home in Emmen on Saturday morning, police have confirmed.

The children’s parents, thought to be Czech nationals, have been taken to hospital for treatment but their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, news agency ANP reported. The family’s dog was also killed in the blaze.

Neighbour Jan Jeuring told the Telegraaf he heard the mother of the children screaming for help but that the fire spread so quickly there was nothing he could do.

‘If you hear a mother screaming that her children are still inside, it chills you to the bone,’ Jeuring said.

The cause of the fire has not yet been established but Jeuring said the mother told him that the Christmas tree was on fire.

Jeuring’s wife Claudia told the Telegraaf the family were not well known in the neighbourhood. ‘They came from the Czech Republic and did not speak good Dutch,’ she said. ‘This is so dreadful for them. They have lost everything. I hope someone sets up a fund-raising campaign for them.’

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