TAIYUAN - Thirteen people have died and another one has been injured after an alleged arson in North China's Shanxi province Friday afternoon, the local public security bureau said.

The incident occurred at about 4 pm in a one-story house on Shenglixi Street in the Xinghualing district of Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, police said.

The fire was put out by firefighters, and the injured have been rushed to hospital.

Neighboring residents told Xinhua they heard an explosion in the house in the afternoon.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.