Neighbors said the five young children who died after a house fire broke out while their mother was selling scrap metal for money were found ‘on top of each other’.

The children, aged between 1 and 5, were reportedly left in a locked house in Turkey’s western Izmir province and died of smoke inhalation on November 11.

Local Turkish media reported that 27-year-old mother Melisa Akcan left home to collect scrap metal that she could sell to feed to her children. Her husband Hakan Akcan is currently in prison.

While he was out, a terrible fire broke out at about 19.30; Initial investigations suggested that this was caused by an overturned electric heater.

The flames soon surrounded the entire house and siblings Aras Bulut Akcan (1), Masal Işık Akcan (2), Aslan Miraç Akcan (3), Funda Peri Akcan (4) and Fadime Nefes Akcan (5) were trapped inside.

Neighbor Esma Şahin, who rushed to help during the fire, told the local press: ‘It was a very painful incident. The children had locked the door and their mother was gone. They all died in a row. Those kids weren’t at fault.’

27-year-old Melisa Akcan (pictured) had left home to collect scrap metal that she could sell to feed her children. But their children all died in the fire

Turkish media reported that it was the scene of a house fire tragedy in which five children lost their lives.

33-year-old Soner Şahin, one of the neighbors who had just returned from work, heard his mother shouting, “Aunt Esma, my children are dead.”

When he entered the house, he saw the mother taking her children out through the rising smoke.

He told Aydin Detay newspaper: ‘At that moment I realized that five children had lost their lives. They had smoke poisoning. One of the children suffered burns on his body.

‘Their mother had left the children alone at home to collect leftovers and buy bread.

‘If we had known, we would have looked after the children. There were no locks on the doors. But their mother would pull the door open, remove the handle and leave the children.’

Of the 5 rescued children, 3 died due to smoke inhalation, and 2 were seriously injured and taken to the hospital, but could not be saved.

The children’s father Hakan Akcan (pictured) is currently in prison, the children were alone when they died

Turkish media reported that the mother was visibly distressed when she arrived at the hospital and later fainted. Following his treatment, he was taken into custody for questioning while the police launched an investigation into the incident.

Police confirmed to Bianet that the children’s father is currently in prison and was with the children when the fire broke out.

Neighbors said the family was in financial difficulties and social services had visited their home 18 times this year.

According to officials, the family did not accept the offer to place the children under state protection.