Beijing, May 26 (RHC)-- A rest home fire in central China has killed at least 38 people and injured six others, state media reports say.

The blaze broke out just before 8 p.m. local time on Monday and swept through an apartment building belonging to the privately-owned Kangleyuan rest home in the city of Pingdingshan in Lushan Country, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the Henan Provincial Work Safety Administration.

According to the report, two of those injured were in critical condition as search and rescue operations were still underway Tuesday morning. Local authorities have not yet commented on the probable cause of the deadly blaze.