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Death toll from fire in Voronezh region reaches 23 — emergencies ministry

According to preliminary information, "most dead bodies have been found in places where bedridden patients or patients who took strong drugs had undergone treatment."

MOSCOW, December 13 /TASS/. Another body was found in the debris of the burnt psycho-neurology clinicin the Voronezh region, the Russian Emergencies Ministry central regional centre told TASS.

"Thus, the death toll in the fire is 23, two of them died at hospital," the source said.

The fire in a psycho-neurological clinic near Voronezh emerged late on Saturday. It was localised in two hours and extinguished at 3 at night.

More than 20 are at hospital; 28 have been rescued and now stay at the clinic's other building. According to preliminary information, "most dead bodies have been found in places where bedridden patients or patients who took strong drugs had undergone treatment."

Russia’s Investigation Committee has launched a pre-investigation check into the tragedy.

A working group of the government commission for prevention and liquidation of emergencies has left for Russia’s Voronezh region to investigate the causes of a fire that erupted at a psycho-neurological clinic in the Alfyorovka village, the Russian Emergencies Ministry press service told TASS.

"The commission is led by Leonid Belyayev, the deputy minister for emergency situations," the emergencies ministry representative said.

A source at law enforcement authorities told TASS earlier on Sunday the fire had developed from one of the wards.