Published on 09:18 PM, January 31, 2016

Russia factory fire kills 12 'migrants' in Moscow

Twelve people, including three children, die in a huge fire at a textile factory in the east of the Russian capital Moscow, officials say. Photo: AP/BBC

Twelve people, including three children, have died in a huge fire at a textile factory in the east of the Russian capital Moscow, officials say.

The blaze engulfed some 3,000 sq metres (33,000 sq ft) of the building and took more than five hours to put out.

Russia's child rights commissioner Pavel Astakhov said the victims were migrant workers who had been living and working in the building.

Of the three children who died, one was a small baby, he said.

State investigators are looking into the cause of the blaze, which broke out on Saturday evening, and said arson has not been ruled out.

Some reports say the workers were from Central Asia.