Bodies of 22 Magnitogorsk Blast Victims Identified – Russian Emergencies Min.

YEKATERINBURG (Sputnik) - The bodies of 22 people, including three minor children, killed in a supposed natural gas blast that tore through a residential building in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk, have been identified, a spokesperson of the Chelyabinsk Region branch of the Russian Emergencies Ministry said.

"The bodies of 22 people, including three children, have been identified," the spokesperson told reporters.

READ MORE: Magnitogorsk Building Collapse Death Toll Rises to 37 — Emergencies Ministry

The spokesperson added that the process of identifying the bodies was planned to be continued.

A bloc of the 10-storey building in Magnitogorsk collapsed on Monday. According to the authorities, at least 37 people, including six children, have been killed in the incident. Six people, including an 11-month-old boy, have been found alive and rescued from under the rubble.

There were no children among four people, who presumably remained under the debris, the official noted, citing preliminary data.

Moreover, the spokesperson insisted that the threat of the debris collapsing remained on the site.

The operation to clear the rubble was underway, according to the official. The spokesperson argued, that rescue workers carried out all the procedures with "maximum cautiousness."