RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Fireworks purchased to celebrate the New Year exploded in a Sao Paulo home, killing two children and injuring a dozen people, Sao Paulo police said on Sunday.

A girl, aged 5, and a four-year-old boy died in the explosion and fire, but firefighters rescued the children's mother and four others.

The home was totally destroyed in the explosion on Saturday night in the southern Grajau district of Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city. Three neighboring buildings were damaged and more people were injured there.

Their father had bought rockets and firecrackers for New Year celebrations and stored them at the house. Police said the children may have been playing with firecrackers next to the rockets and set off the blast.

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