Carbon monoxide kills China girls

Eleven girls have died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a school in northern China, after making a fire to keep warm, state media report.

Another girl was in a serious condition after the accident in Yulin city, Dingbian county, Shaanxi province, the official Xinhua news agency said.

It said the provincial vice governor was investigating the case, about which no further details were given.

Cases of carbon monoxide poisoning are frequent in north China in winter.

The risk increases when temperatures drop below freezing and people light coal fires in their rooms to keep warm.