India expressed today its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the 64 victims who were killed in a major fire at a busy shopping mall packed with children and their parents in Russia's Kemerovo city.
The fire at the Winter Cherry mall in Kemerovo, about 3,000 kilometres east of Moscow, was doused this morning.
Russian television showed images of thick black smoke billowing out of the roof of the shopping centre.
Emergency services minister Vladimir Puchkov said on Russian television: "We have recorded that unfortunately as a result of the accident 64 people died."
Embassy of India said in a tweet that it "expresses its deepest condolences to the families and friends of victims of Kemerovo tragedy".
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives, including many children. Our prayers and thoughts are with them," Embassy of India said in a tweet here.
India's Ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran said in a tweet: "Deepest condolences on tragic loss of lives in fire in Keremovo mall in Siberia".
Russia's Investigative Committee said the roof collapsed in two theatres of the cinema in the blaze, which erupted at around 4 PM local time yesterday.
The doors of one of the shopping centre's cinemas, where children were watching cartoon films, were locked and people did not hear alarms, Witnesses told Russian television.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU