Fire destroys village houses in SW China

A fire swept through a village in southwest China's Guizhou province early on Thursday, destroying 45 houses and leaving 430 people homeless, local authorities said.

No casualties have been reported.

The fire broke out at the the village in Shibing county at about 2:40am, and it was put out about two hours later, a spokesman with the county government said. Relief supplies have been dispatched to local residents.

Traditional houses in the ethnic area are usually made of woods, which are prone to fires.

Local authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.