char

"The assailants set the vehicle on fire to spread fear, completely charring the bodies of the six victims," the official said.

Nature Friends lodge, built with quaint Bavarian styling by German immigrants in 1923, had been reduced by the fire to heaps of charred timber, twisted metal and broken dishes.

Smoke was still rising from the charred remains on Sunday.

Outside, guests can relax at the resort-style pool or lounge at the charing guesthouse, which has its own kitchen and living area, complete with tile flooring and similar wooden flooring.

Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.