BEIJING -- A work team was sent to Central China's Henan province during the night to guide rescue and follow-up work after a school dormitory fire on Friday night, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Saturday.

Thirteen students were killed and another one injured in a fire that took place in a school dormitory in Fangcheng county, in the city of Nanyang, Central China's Henan province, on Friday night, according to local authorities.

Local fire department received an alarm about a fire in a male dormitory of Yingcai School in Yanshanpu village, Dushu town. Rescuers arrived at the scene quickly, and the flames were extinguished at 11:38 pm.

The ministry called for efforts to screen for and rectify hidden fire risks in densely populated places to resolutely prevent the occurrence of major accidents.