Deadly fire at China dormitory kills 13 students

close Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for January 19

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out whats clicking on Foxnews.com.

Read this article for free! Plus get unlimited access to thousands of articles, videos and more with your free account! Please enter a valid email address. By entering your email, you are agreeing to Fox News Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. To access the content, check your email and follow the instructions provided.

At least 13 students are dead and another is injured after a fire ripped through a school dormitory in central China Friday night.

The blaze broke out inside a boys’ dormitory at Yingcai School in Henan Province, killing 13 third-graders, according to Reuters, which cited China Newsweek — a weekly magazine published by China News Service. Third-graders in China are usually 9 years old.

The private school caters to nursery and primary-age pupils, according to China Daily.

A deadly fire ripped through a school dormitory in central China Friday night, killing at least 13 students and injuring another. Authorities have launched an investigation. (Xinhua via AP)

VIDEO CAPTURES CHINA RESIDENTS CLINGING TO LEDGE AS FIRE RAGES IN HIGH-RISE APARTMENT BUILDING

Firefighters extinguished the blaze after about an hour at around 11:40 p.m. and the head of the school was taken into custody, state media reported. 

Photos from after the blaze show charred windows on the third floor of the dormitory. All the windows on the building appear to be covered with guard rails.

An aerial shot of the school where 13 students died. (Xinhua via AP)

42-FLOOR CHINESE SKYSCRAPER ENGULFED IN FLAMES

It was not immediately known what sparked the fire and an investigation is under way.

China’s Ministry of Emergency Management called for screening to avoid “hidden fire risks in densely populated places,” and a work team was sent to guide rescue and follow-up work, Xinhua reported.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The school gives students a break every two weeks but this was not a break weekend, Xinhua reported, citing local residents. Many of Yingcai’s students are from rural areas, according to the publication.

The tragedy comes after a coal mining company building in a northern Chinese city killed 26 people and injured at least 38 in December. In April, 29 people died in a hospital fire in Beijing.

A deadly fire ripped through a school dormitory in the region Friday night killing at least 13 students and injuring another. (Google Maps)

Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.

You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.