GUANGZHOU - Six people were killed after a fire engulfed a dessert shop on Thursday in south China's Guangdong Province, said local authorities.

The blaze ripped through the first floor of the three-storey building where the victims were sleeping during early hours in the city of Taishan, administered by the city of Jiangmen, said a spokesman with the city government of Jiangmen.

An initial investigation found the victims, including the owner of the shop and five of his family members, had suffocated, said the spokesman.

Local police received the fire report at 7:04 am and 20 firefighters extinguished the blaze about 20 minutes later.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.