Four people died and nine were injured in a hotel fire in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Tuesday morning, said the local fire fighting department.

A waitress from the Ejin Banner Hotel, of the Alxa League, and three guests died in the fire which was discovered at 3:40 AM and was put out an hour later.

Five of the nine injured have left hospital after treatment.

The fire started from the second floor of the hotel where 53 guests were staying on Monday night.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2006)