"The fire area is currently estimated at 2,000 square meters", the ministry posted to its Twitter account.
Early on Monday, the fire broke out in an apartment building located on Nikitsky Boulevard. Two persons died, while four were injured, the ministry said.
Прям ща Никитский бульвар pic.twitter.com/OQUAdlo9RD
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According to the ministry, over 40 people were evacuated or rescued, including 8 children. There have been no reports on the cause of the blaze. Moscow authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
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The fire, according to the Moscow department of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, has been contained.
"[As of] 3:50 [a.m. local time, 00:50 GMT], the fire has been contained", the Moscow department of the Russian Emergencies Ministry posted on Twitter.
The press service of the Emergencies Ministry told Sputnik that all the residents of the house had been evacuated. "A total of 42 people have been saved, including eight children", the press service said.
The ministry said earlier that 17 people, including two children, had been evacuated. Later on Monday, the ministry said the fire has been extinguished, adding that the blaze has claimed four lives.
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The officials also said Monday that the fate of one person was unknown. According to the ministry, citing the investigation report, the preliminary cause of the blaze could be a fault in the gas system of the building.
