Five people were killed in a fire in a hospital in the Vyborg district of St. Petersburg; patients and staff are being evacuated, a spokesman for the Ministry of Emergency Services said.
"According to preliminary data, five people died as a result of a fire in a hospital in Severny Proezd," the spokesman stated.
Patients in the intensive care unit were killed in a fire in a St. Petersburg hospital, 150 people were evacuated from the burning building, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said.
"Unfortunately, according to preliminary data, some people in the intensive care unit died," the ministry said.
A ministry spokesman said the fire had been localized on an area of 10 square meters.
Electric equipment malfunction is believed to be the reason behind the deadly fire in the St. George City Hospital in Russia's St. Petersburg.
"Electric equipment malfunction, short-circuit failure is seen as the preliminary reason," the spokesman said.
The blaze at the hospital has been extinguished, a spokesperson for emergency services said.
The circumstances surrounding the fire and deaths are being clarified.
The Russian Investigative Committee said it was launching a criminal probe into the incident.