A fire accident at a salvage station killed a family of four in Shishi city of east China's Fujian Province Sunday morning, local authorities said.

The fire broke out at around 4:00 AM on Sunday at the salvage station that is located at the Gangtang Village of Lingxiu Township in Shishi City, local villagers and witnesses said.

A young couple in their twenties, the owners of the salvage station, and their two sons were killed in the fire, according to an official with the Lingxiu Township.

The fire was put out at about 5:45 AM which burnt an area of more than 247 square meters, the official said.

The young couple were from the Fengtai County of east China's Anhui Province and they lived on collecting garbage and waste material from nearby factories, the official said.

The salvage station was a makeshift house made of iron sheet inthe Gangtang Village, which is located at the juncture linking urban and rural areas where many garbage collectors live in simply-constructed houses.

The local police and fire prevention authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2006)