Okakoko village: Two toddlers aged three died after the shack they were sleeping in caught fire at Okakoko village in the Oshikoto Region on Sunday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, an incident report by Namibian Police Force's (NamPol) Oshikoto Regional Police Commander, Commissioner Ndafudha Iifo, the fire occurred around 08h00.

The girls had been left home alone by the mother of one of the toddlers while she went to collect firewood in nearby bushes. The second victim was the woman's niece. "The door had a padlock on the outside which was not locked. While collecting firewood, the woman noticed smoke coming from the house. She ran back and found that a neighbour had already arrived at the scene. The bedroom was on fire," Iifo said.

The commissioner further said upon checking the bedroom, the woman found that both children had perished in the fire. Iifo added that the cause of the fire remains unknown. The woman reported being unaware of any matches in the room, noting that the household relies solely on a solar lamp for lighting.

The remains of the deceased were transported to the Omuthiya police mortuary for post-mortem examinations.