Incense Blamed for One of Two Deadly China Fires:

In Wufeng, site of the temple fire, a local government official said investigators suspected the blaze was caused by incense offerings.

But it was not the final conclusion and Yan Caihong, a resident of Qunle village about 10 miles away, said by telephone that it may have been caused by smoldering cigarette.

"The fire was caused by a woman smoking cigarettes outside. She's still alive," Yang told Reuters.

Police arrested a man they said had organized the prayer session in the thatched, bamboo hut, which was less than 650 square feet, Xinhua said.

Police and state media said the villagers were engaging in "superstitious activities" -- banned after the Communists took power in 1949 and cracked down on an array of beliefs, including traditional folk religions common in the vast countryside.

The government's really reaching here.