Thirteen people have died after a fire broke out in a school dormitory in central China, the country's Xinhua state news agency reported.

The deadly blaze happened on Friday night at a school for young children in Yanshanpu village, Henan province.

The privately-run school caters for nursery and primary age pupils, according to China Daily.

The manager of the school, near Nanyang city, has been detained and an investigation is under way