GUANGZHOU - A family of six were killed in a house fire early on Sunday morning in Guangzhou, capital city of South China's Guangdong province, local authorities said.

A couple and their four children were asleep at home on the first floor of a six-storey building in the city's Baiyun district.

The family died of smoke inhalation in the fire that was put out at 4:50 am after the local fire brigade received a report at 4:16 am

Investigation into the cause of the blaze is under way.