Seven killed in Russian residential fire

MOSCOW, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were killed in a fire in a residential building in western Russia, TASS news agency reported Saturday.

The fire reportedly occurred at 4:48 a.m. local time (0148 GMT) in a two-story apartment building in Rostov of the Yaroslavl region, 250 km northeast of Moscow.

Earlier reports said five children and an adult were killed.

According to Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations, 600 square meters of the building roof were completely burnt out.

The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case over the incident.