MOSCOW, January 9. /TASS/. Five people, including two children, died in the fire at a private house in the town of Sharya in Russia’s Kostroma Region on the Volga River, the investigation department of the Russian Investigative Committee reported on Sunday.

Criminal proceedings have been launched under Part 3 of Article 109 of the Russian Criminal Code (causing the death of two or more people through negligence), it said. "Five bodies were found when the fire was being put out and debris cleared, including two children aged 5 and 9," it said.

The fire was reported at 01:05 Moscow time on Sunday. The entire wooden house was engulfed in flames. As many as 32 firefighters were involved assisted by 13 pieces of hardware.