HEFEI - A family of five, including three children and their parents, died in a house fire in East China's Anhui province Saturday morning, local authorities said.

The fire was at a village house in Yuhui district in the city of Bengbu. Local firefighters received a call at 2:06 am and put the blaze out half an hour later, the city's emergency response office said in a statement.

Five bodies were found in the rescue and search operation and were later identified as husband and wife, their infant boy, 5-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son, it said.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.