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Two young siblings have died of suffocation after a fire broke out inside their house — with their parents away — in Soroti city on Thursday.

Joshua Ewagu, 10, and five-year-old Gabriella Ibiara are believed to have died due to smoke inhalation and suffocation. They were reportedly locked inside the house when the fire, whose actual cause was not immediately established, began.

This tragic incident happened in Oolo cell, Otatai ward in Soroti City East.

They were pronounced dead upon arrival at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital.

Quoting the children's father, East Kyoga Police publicist Edison Obukalem said their mother had left home for a routine trip to a nearby garden for work.

When she returned home in the evening, she was horrified to see smoke billowing out of their house.

She is said to have instantly made an alarm that attracted the neighbours, who arrived to help with rescue efforts.

But it was too late. They found the two children unresponsive.

A matchbox was found in the doorway, Police said.

"There could be a possibility that when the mother left these guidelines at home, one of the juvelines, according to the father, might have picked a matchbox since she has been seeing the mother lighting the charcoal stove," said Obukalem.

"When they came home, they found a matchbox in the doorway. The door was locked."

Obukalem added: "The father said that in most cases, the mother daily goes to the garden and locks the children in the house."

In the wake of the tragic episode, he cautioned parents to ensure they keep matchboxes and other lighting items out of the reach of children.