At least 63 people died early Tuesday when a fire ripped through a retirement home in southern Russia, the Interfax news agency reported quoting local officials.

Some 27 more were injured in the fire that broke out in Kamyshevatskaya village in the Kuban region, officials said, adding that a total of 93 people were staying at the facility.

Those injured were taken to a regional hospital.

According to emergency situations ministry officials quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency, the fire was reported at 0111 Moscow time (2211 GMT Monday), but the firefighting team made it to the site only an hour later as the nearest firefighting station was 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the village.

The fire was localised shortly after.

PHOTO CAPTION

File picture shows Russian firefighters in Moscow. (AFP)