Two children from the same family have reportedly died today (27) after inhaling smoke from a fire that broke out in a hotel room in Batticaloa.

The deceased are a 3-year-old boy and his 5-year-old sister.

According to Ada Deana reporter, the mother of the deceased children was receiving treatment at the Batticaloa Hospital due to being diagnosed with cancer.

The two children, residents of Badulla, had temporarily stayed at the hotel room when they came with their father to visit their mother in Batticaloa.

Accordingly, it is reported that the father had left the two children in the room, locked the door and went out to the shop. 

At that moment, the two children were playing with a lighter, when one of the mattresses in the room, which had two beds, had suddenly caught fire.

The two children, frightened by the fire, had crawled under the other bed that was not on fire and hid.

Seeing heavy smoke coming out of the hotel room, hotel employees and residents nearby immediately took action and broke down the door of the room.

The two children were already unconscious under the bed due to the heavy smoke, and although steps were taken to immediately hospitalise them, it is reported that the children were pronounced dead on admission to the hospital.

Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.