Uzbek nationals dead in Tomsk region fire

Eleven people died when a fire ripped through a one-storey wooden shack in a remote village in Russia's region of Tomsk, officials said.

"The bodies of 11 people have been found," the Russian emergencies ministry said in a statement.

Citing preliminary information, regional authorities said that ten of the victims were citizens of Uzbekistan.

According to authorities, the fire broke out in the grounds of a private saw mill in the Prichulymsky settlement and the wooden shack was used to house workers despite its substandard conditions, the AFP reported.

The regional governor arrived at the scene of the tragedy and tasked officials with conducting a fire safety inspection in the entire region.

Investigators said they opened a criminal probe into negligent manslaughter.