Pictured: The children who burned alive in nursery attack
Six toddlers and a teacher were burned to death in a suspected arson attack on a nursery by a mentally ill security guard.
Police believe Damiao Soares dos Santos, 50, poured gasoline over the children and himself then set himself alight.
He also allegedly locked teacher Helley Abreu Batista, 43, in a room before setting it ablaze at the Innocent Children's People Municipal Education Centre in Janaúba, in Minas Gerias, south east Brazil.
Scroll down for video
Ana Clara Ferreira Silva (pictured on left) and Juan Pablo Cruz dos Santos (on right), both were four years old when they were burned to death
Investigators understand night watchman dos Santos, who also died from his injuries, had planned the attack as they found gallons of fuel at his home.
A police spokesperson said: 'Investigators believe the crime was premeditated and through diligent research they found gallons of fuel at the residence of the perpetrator.
'It was also found that Damiao symbolically marked the date of his father's death, three years ago as the date to carry out the attack.
Four-year-old victim Cecilia Davina Goncalves Dias (pictured on left) and six-year-old Renan Nicolas dos Santos Silva (on right) suffered 80 per cent and 90 per cent burns respectively and died while being transferred by helicopter
Four-year-olds, Ruan Miguel Soares Silva (pictured on left) and Luiz Davi Carlos Rodrigues (on right) were killed in the Brazilian nursery arson attack
'He told his family on Tuesday, that he had 'a gift to give to everyone' and they would soon find out.
'Investigators also ascertained that he was mentally ill and appeared to be obsessed with children.
'The bodies of four children and the offender, Damião Soares dos Santos, have been released for burial.'
Around 50 children had been in the day care centre, which cares for children between the age of 2 and 5, at the time of the attack.
Investigators understand night watchman dos Santos, who also died from his injuries, had planned the attack as they found gallons of fuel at his home
Pictured, the burned out room in the nursery where the tragedy happened
Four died at the scene and two more plus the teacher died later from their injuries. Another 23 victims are still being treated at hospital, seven in a critical condition.
It has been alleged the guard, who had worked at the nursery for nine years, 'embraced' some of the children while he was burning, causing them to catch light.
Heartbreaking footage of the aftermath shows a woman with her clothes and hair burned, wandering around outside the nursery in a state of shock as children with their faces and clothes blackened from smoke stumble around in a daze.
Pictured, teams of emergency rescuers worked to take the wounded to hospital by air
The security guard has been named as 50-year-old Damiao Soares dos Santos
Parents are seen desperately hauling toddlers from the burning and smoke-filled building as screams ring out from trapped toddlers and cries of anguish and panic from frantic parents fill the air.
Locals also race to throw buckets of water over the burning children.
Police confirmed the names of the children who died at the scene as Ana Clara Ferreira Silva, Luiz Davi Carlos Rodrigues, Juan Pablo Cruz dos Santos and Ruan Miguel Soares Silva All were four years old.
Renan Nicolas dos Santos Silva, six years old, and Cecilia Davina Goncalves Dias, aged four, suffered 90 per cent and 80 per cent burns respectively.
They died while being transferred by helicopter to the Pronto-Socorro XXIII Hospital in the Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais.
Teacher, Helley Abreu Batista, 43 died from her injuries in hospital
Speaking to Minas media, Mayor of Janauba, Carlos Isaildon Mendes said there was no indication that Santos was about to carry out the atrocity. He had no prior record of problems at work.
Mr Mendes said: 'This is a very complicated situation. This was a decent employee who was on holiday from work.
'I had just returned from visiting the nursery when I was told (Damiao) knocked at the gate saying he wanted to deliver a medical certificate because he claimed he was not feeling well.
'He has been an employee since 2008 and has never had a bad record so we could never have anticipated something of this nature happening.'
According to a spokesperson from Janaúba city authority, Damiao went to the nursery carrying a pink backpack.
Four toddlers have been burned to death and 40 more people are injured after a security guard carried out a horrific arson attack at a school in Brazil
The guard set fire to several children and himself at the Innocent Children's People Municipal Education Centre in Janaúba, in Minas Gerias, south east Brazil, police say. This was the scene as victims were being rushed to hospital
Pictured, the nursery in Brazil where the tragedy took place
The spokesperson said: 'Staff at the nursery found it strange that he chose to ring the bell and that he was at the nursery outside of working hours.
'But he said he was there to deliver a medical certificate.
'We believe he was carrying a bag of flammable liquid, possibly alcohol or gasoline in his backpack, which he used to set fire to the victims and himself.
'Staff at the nursery said he poured the liquid over the children and set fire (to himself and to them). We were also told he embraced some of the children which caused their bodies to burn.'
Fifteen victims with life threatening injuries have been sent to the capital Belo Horizonte where hospital facilities are more able to cope than than those in the small city where the tragedy occurred
Police helicopters (pictured) were called to join in the tragic rescue
According to the spokesperson the room where the students were trapped had bars on the window and a PVC ceiling which was flammable.
An emergency command centre was set up at the scene of the tragedy to control the critical rescue response.
Brazilian President Michel Temer voiced his horror at the atrocity. He told Globo News: 'I am a father too so I understand the heartache. I want to express my solidarity and regret about this event, and hope that these things will not be repeated in Brazil.'
Janaúba city council announced seven days of mourning for those affected by the tragedy.