Six toddlers 'murdered in nursery inferno by guard who doused them in petrol' after bragging 'I've got a gift for everyone'
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Six toddlers and a teacher burned to death in a nursery inferno carried out by a security guard who bragged he 'had a gift for everyone' days before the blaze.
Damiao Soares dos Santos, 50, poured gasoline over the children and himself before setting himself on fire, police believe.
He also allegedly locked teacher Helley Abreu Batista, 43, in a room before the blaze at the Innocent Children's People Municipal Education Centre in Jana ba, Minas Gerias, Brazil.
Investigators revealed dos Santos, who died from his injuries, told relatives he had a "gift for everyone" days before the attack which marked the three-year anniversary of his dad's death.
Police said they believe the blaze was planned after gallons of fuel were found at his home.
(Image: Caters News Agency)
(Image: Caters News Agency)
(Image: Caters News Agency)
(Image: Caters News Agency)
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.
"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, Dami o Soares dos Santos, have been released for burial."
(Image: Caters News Agency)
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.
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 from the scene 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.
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.
(Image: Caters News Agency)
Locals also race to throw buckets of water over the burning babies.
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.
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."
(Image: Caters News Agency)
According to a spokesperson from Jana ba city authority, Damiao went to the nursery carrying a pink backpack.
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."
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."
Jana ba city council announced seven days of mourning for those affected by the tragedy.