An education official in South Africa says four boys as young as 8 at a school for the blind died in a locked dormitory room after a fire.
Paul Ntlatleng, spokesman for the education department in South Africa's North West province, said police are investigating the cause of Monday's fire at the province's only blind school.
Local newspapers report the victims ranged from 8 to 13.
The provincial education minister suspended the school's caretaker and an investigation is being conducted to determine why the victims' room was locked from the outside and whether students were routinely locked in.
The school's 100 or so students should have gone home on Monday for Christmas holidays.
Instead, survivors are staying for counselling and a memorial.
