BEIJING: At least 13 people were killed when a fire broke out in a school dormitory in central China's Henan province, the official media reported on Saturday.

The fire at the Yingcai School in Henan's Yanshanpu village was reported to the local fire department at 11 pm local time Friday night, The People's Daily reported.

Rescuers arrived at the scene quickly and the flames were extinguished at 11:38 pm.

Thirteen people have been confirmed dead, the newspaper reported, adding that one person was injured.

Local authorities are investigating the fire's cause.

Fires and other deadly accidents are common in China due to lax safety standards and poor enforcement.