Eight mentally challenged children died of smoke inhalation in a welfare home for children in Guangdong Province early today, China News Service reported.

The kids were killed by heavy smoke after mosquito coils ignited their clothes and quilts in the Children Welfare Home of Huizhou City, the report said, without offering more details.

The Party Secretary of Huizhou has rushed to the scene along with senior officials from the provincial government, the report said.

The city authority is still probing into the accident to find people responsible for the children's deaths, the report said.

(Shanghai Daily, March 5, 2008)