Thirteen children killed in orphanage fire

A fire has killed 13 children at an orphanage in South Africa yesterday, officials said.

Mandla Ngema, a spokesman for the KwaZulu-Natal department of social development, said police have not established what sparked the blaze. Fire investigators from Pretoria are searching for clues, he said.

Mr Ngema said a total of 15 people were killed, including the person in charge of the Hope of Christ Home in KwaZulu-Natal province.

Hope of Christ is a non-governmental organisation registered under South Africa's department of social development.