Four children among six killed in house fire in northern Serbia

A house fire in a northern Serbian city has killed six people including four children, police said.

The fire broke out at about 3am in Novi Sad, 50 miles north of the capital Belgrade, said interior minister Ivica Dacic.

An emergency doctor told state television channel RTS that all the victims were already dead when the medical team reached the scene.

Mr Dacic said in a statement that initial findings suggested the cause could have been a charging electric scooter.

The children were aged between two and seven, he added.

Police are working to establish the victims’ identity but assume they are all members of a family registered at the address, he said.

“This fire is a terrible tragedy and the whole of Serbia is mourning the tragic death of this family,” said Mr Dacic in a statement.

He added that firefighters responded professionally and were at the scene quickly after the emergency call.

Novi Sad authorities said a day of mourning will be held for the family. No date was immediately set.

Serbian media published photos from the scene showing charred items in a small brick house, including a pram and a washing machine.