A MURDER INVESTIGATION has been launched after two young children died and a woman was left critically injured in a fire at a flat in Nottingham, England.

The blaze broke out in the first-floor flat of a two-storey building in Fairlisle Close, Clifton, at around 3.17am on Sunday.

A woman, thought to be in her thirties, and two children, aged three and one, were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation before being taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

The two children were pronounced dead at the hospital, Nottinghamshire Police said, while the woman remains in a critical condition.

Detective Chief Inspector Greg McGill said a joint police and fire service investigation had concluded that the fire was started deliberately.

“These are tragic and very sad circumstances and my thoughts are with the family of those involved,” he said.

“Following a joint investigation with Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service we have established that the fire was started deliberately.

“We are appealing for witnesses who were in the area at that time and saw something suspicious to please come forward and help us with the investigation.

“We have a team of detectives who are working hard to establish the circumstances and our inquiries remain in their early stages.”

The fire was extinguished at around 4am.

Neighbouring buildings were temporarily evacuated during the incident.