Thursday, December 29 2005 14:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Moscow: At least seven inmates of a mental clinic near here were burnt to death and 12 others injured when a fire broke out in the building early this morning (Dec 29, 2005), according to officials.

The fire, which originated in the attic of the two-story brick building around 0430 am local time, rapidly spread through the wooden floorings, an adviser to the Russian Emergency Situations Minister Viktor Beltsov said.

Most of the 53 patients and staff of the psycho neurological clinic were evacuated by the fire brigade, Beltsov was quoted as saying by the Radio Mayak.

There was no information on possible causes of the fire, which occurred in the town of Dmitrovsky Pogost east of Moscow, according to the sources.

The task of the fire fighting crew was made especially difficult due to the fact that there was no ready water near the building, sources said.