At least eight dead after fire at a shelter in Moscow, Russia

At least eight people have died Thursday in a fire at a shelter on Alma Atinskaya Street in the south of Russia’s capital Moscow, an emergency services source has told TASS.

Russian firefighters have rescued eight people from the blaze, while 200 people have been evacuated from the high-rise apartment building.

“Eight people died in the fire, three more are being examined by doctors at the moment,” the Emergencies source has assured, adding that “rescuers continue to clear the debris.”

“The fire has engulfed three rooms and a corridor in a total area of 150 square meters. It has already been extinguished,” he explained.

The Emergencies Ministry press office has confirmed that eight people have died in the fire and added that the fire broke out on the second floor of an apartment building at 00.47 a.m. (local time) in the south of the Russian capital.

A group of experts has arrived at the scene to establish the causes of the tragedy. The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation into the deaths of the eight people.