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An explosive fire at a car repairs station in southern Russia has killed at least 27 people and injured more than 60.
- Officials believe the fire happened during car maintenance work
- At least three children are among the more than two dozen people killed
- An investigation into the cause of the blaze has been launched
The fire, which broke loose in the Russian capital of Makhachkala on Tuesday, killed at least three children, according to the Interfax news agency which cited regional emergency medics.
The explosion took place during maintenance work, the Russian Federation's Investigative Committee for the Dagestan region said on Telegram.
"A fire occurred during car maintenance work, followed by a bang, as a result of which people were injured and died," it said.
A criminal investigation of the fire had been opened, it said.
Footage posted online showed a one-storey building ablaze.
"It's like a war here," a witness told Reuters.
Ten of the injured victims are in a critical condition, Russian Deputy Health Minister Vladimir Fisenko said.
Thirteen of the injured are children, the Dagestani health ministry said.
It took firefighters more than three and a half hours to put out the fire which spread across 600 square metres, the TASS Russian news agency reported.
Reuters