A fire at a psychiatric hospital in southern Russia has killed 23 people, the country's emergencies ministry says (AFP Photo/Olga Maltseva)

MOSCOW, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) At least 21 people were killed in a deadly blaze at a psychiatric hospital in the southwestern Russian region of Voronezh on Sunday, local media reported, quoting a source in the Russian Emergencies Ministry's regional center. "Nineteen dead bodies were recovered at the fire scene, two died in a hospital. Two others are missing," the source told RIA Novosti.

A total of 55 people have been evacuated from the burning building. Among them, 21 with burns of various degree have been hospitalized, the TASS news agency said, quoting an unnamed law enforcement official. All the dead were bedridden patients or patients who took strong drugs, TASS added.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, but a preliminary investigation into the tragedy has been launched by Russia's Investigation Committee.