Four toddlers killed after being set alight at day care centre

Four children have been killed and several others hurt at a daycare centre in eastern Brazil when a guard doused the school with alcohol and set it alight.

A firefighter in the city of Janauba said on Thursday that the guard was among those injured and was in serious condition.

The firefighter, who declined to give his name, said the majority of the victims ranged in age from one to four years old.

News portal G1, citing police sources, said a teacher had also died in the fire.

The daycare centre in Janauba, in the state of Minas Gerais, cares for about 70 children, according to local media.

Local media identified the guard as a 50-year-old man who helped with security at the daycare centre since 2008. The motive of the attack was unclear.