GUANGZHOU, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Eight disabled children were killed by smoke inhalation in a welfare house in China's southern Guangdong Province early Wednesday morning when a quilt slid off a bed and smoldered after becoming alit by burning mosquito-repellent incense.

    The burn area was less than one square meter but was enough to kill the children, aged four to nine, in the 18-square-meter room on the first floor of Huizhou Municipal General Welfare House, a Huizhou municipal government official said.

    As the temperature was relatively low in the area of late, the doors and windows were shut tightly by the welfare house. This made it difficult for the smoke to escape from the room, the official said.

    The children were found dead by staff on patrol at 3:44 a.m., according to the welfare house.

    The quilt was burning without flames and the room was filled with smoke when the staff opened the door. The children, sleeping on four beds, were choked to death by the heavy smoke, according to the welfare house.

    The victims were either disabled, mentally retarded or blind.

    The Huizhou Municipal General Welfare House, established in 1994 and affiliated with the municipal civil affairs bureau, currently accommodates 80 elderly widows and retired soldiers. It also housed 60 disabled and orphaned children.

    The government is searching for whoever is responsible for the incident.