Two children are feared dead following a destructive house fire that broke out in the early hours of Monday in Bowen Mountain, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains in Australia. The tragic incident occurred just hours before the family was due to relocate to Queensland, according to ABC News.

Emergency services responded to the blaze shortly after 2 am at a residence on Lieutenant Bowen Road. Police confirmed that a father and four children managed to escape the burning house, while two other children were reported missing at the scene, as reported by ABC News.

Authorities later discovered two bodies inside the extensively damaged home once firefighters had extinguished the flames. Police indicated that the remains are believed to be those of the missing children, although formal identification will be confirmed through a coroner’s investigation, according to ABC News.

At the time of the fire, six children aged between three and 16 were inside the house with their father. Reports indicate that the children’s mother had already left for Queensland ahead of the planned family move and is now returning following the tragedy, ABC News reported.

Police have stated that the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it is not currently being treated as suspicious. The father and the four children who escaped were taken to the hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and minor burns, but are reported to be in stable condition, according to ABC News.

Firefighters faced significant challenges in controlling the blaze, with the structure collapsing and making it unsafe to enter during the initial stages. More than 50 firefighters were deployed to the scene, and specialised resources, including drones and a canine detection unit, were used in the search operation, as reported by ABC News.

Authorities have described the incident as deeply distressing, with support being provided to the affected family and the local community as investigations continue.