A fire at a petrol station in the southern Russian region of Dagestan has killed at least 27 people, including three children, and injured dozens more.
The fire started on Monday night at an auto repair shop in Dagestani capital Makhachkala and caused a blast spreading to a nearby gas station, officials said on Tuesday.
Footage posted online showed a one-storey building ablaze, Reuters TV reported.
"It's like a war here," a witness said.
The number of people injured rose to 66, 10 of whom are in a critical condition, RIA news agency said quoting the Russian deputy health minister Vladimir Fisenko.
Thirteen of the wounded are children, Interfax reported citing the Dagestani health ministry.
It took fire fighters more than three and a half hours to put out the fire that spread into an area of 600 square metres, TASS reported, citing a statement from the Russian emergency service.
