Three children died after a blaze engulfed a house in Batulayang village in Cisarua, Bogor, West Java, on Wednesday.

The fire started at around noon, Bogor Police spokesperson Adj. Comr. Ita Puspita Lena said.

The children, aged between 2 and 3, were allegedly playing with matches in one of the bedrooms after coming home from mosque.

One of the lit matches fell on a bed and it sparked a flame that quickly spread to the rest of the house, which belonged to Enjun Junaidi who was still at the mosque.

Neighbors tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the fire and rescue the children.

Maman, a 57-year-old resident, said one victim was found on the floor, while the other two were huddled in a corner of the room.

The victims were taken to a hospital in Ciawi, Bogor. (stu)