TWO brothers who were killed in a house fire might have accidentally started the blaze themselves, investigators said today.

The young boys died in hospital after the fire in a bedroom of their home on Rashcliffe Hill Road, at 1.12pm yesterday.

Nazia Akhtar, who is heavily pregnant, escaped the blaze which claimed the lives of her sons Junaid, two, and Sohail, four.

West Yorkshire Police said the blaze was not being treated as suspicious.

Chris Hellas, a district manager for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said investigators were exploring the possibility the youngsters started the blaze themselves.

He said there was evidence of fire-lighting equipment at the scene.

He added: "It is not being treated as suspicious and it appears it was an accident. In relation to the exact circumstances we are trying to establish what caused it.

"They are young children and tragically that may have been a factor."

The boys were taken by ambulance to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, where they died from their injuries.

Neighbours said builders working on a nearby housing development tried to rescue the children from the fire.

An uncle and cousin of the victims’ mother, who did not wish to be named, said they were "sad" about what had happened.

Other people said they were shocked to learn about the deaths of the boys, who were often seen playing with other children outside.

Ryan Harris, 29, said his three daughters, aged 11, nine and eight, were friends of the brothers.

He said: "My daughters used to play with them on the side of the road, with scooters and things like that. They were out playing most evenings.

"We came back at around 2.15pm and noticed the window of their house was ajar and smoke was coming out and there were a lot of people crying.

"My 11-year-old daughter broke down in tears when she noticed it was her friends’ house."

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said the mother of the victims had two other sons and was pregnant with her fifth child.

She said the family had lived in the house for about two years.

"I often saw the boys playing with their toys in the road with other children," she said.

"I feel so shocked, I was trembling when I heard."