MOSCOW - The Latest on a shopping mall fire in Russia (all times local):

3:55 p.m.

Pope Francis says he is "deeply saddened" by the fire at a shopping mall in Russia.

The pope sent a telegram Monday offering condolences for the dead, "especially the many children who lost their lives," and he offered blessings to those who are helping the injured and searching for the missing.

At least 64 people were killed in a weekend fire at the Winter Cherry mall in Kemerovo packed with children and their parents on the opening weekend of a school break.

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3:20 p.m.

Russian investigators say fire exits were blocked and a security officer turned off the public announcement system when he received a call about a fire at a shopping mall in Siberia that killed 64 people.

The Investigative Committee said in a statement on Monday that it is searching for a security officer who is suspected of turning off the PA system after he received a call about the blaze. Four people have been detained in connection with the deadly fire, including a tenant of the mall.

The investigators did not give the cause of the fire but said they have obtained evidence proving "flagrant violations" that could have contributed to the heavy loss of life.

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11:40 a.m.

Russia's emergency situations minister says 64 people are confirmed to have died in a fire in a shopping mall in Siberia.

Vladimir Puchkov told a televised briefing on Monday that firefighters have finished combing through the four floors of the shopping mall in the city of Kemerovo. Six bodies have not yet been recovered, he said.

Puchkov would not immediately say how many of the victims were.

The Winter Cherry mall was a popular destination for families and it was packed with visitors on Sunday, the first weekend of the school recess, when the fire broke out.

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11:15 a.m.

Russia's top investigative body says 56 people are confirmed dead in a fire at a shopping mall in Siberia.

The fire at the four-story Winter Cherry mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo was extinguished by Monday morning after burning through the night.

The Investigative Committee said on Monday four people have been detained for questioning, including a tenant of the mall. The investigators have launched a criminal probe into possible negligence and violation of fire safety.

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8 a.m.

A Russian official says 48 people have been confirmed dead in the fire at a shopping mall in a Siberian city.

Russian Deputy Emergencies Minister Vladlen Aksyonov was quoted in Tass news agency on Monday as saying the additional bodies were discovered during the inspection of the scene after the fire was extinguished.

The fire is believed to have begun on the top floor of the four-story Winter Cherry mall in Kemerovo on Sunday. The cause wasn't immediately known but a criminal investigation was begun.

Tass quoted Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov as saying 16 people are still reported to be missing.

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5 a.m.

The Russian government says 27 people are now considered missing after a shopping mall fire in a Siberian city that killed 37 people.

The fire at the four-story Winter Cherry mall in Kemerovo was still raging early Monday. State news agency Tass quoted an emergency official as saying the floors were at risk of collapse.

Tass cited the Russian Emergencies Ministry as saying the earlier report of 64 missing included the 37 victims whose bodies had been recovered but not yet identified.

Tass said the fire started on the top floor but the cause wasn't immediately known. A criminal investigation was begun.

The shopping mall, which opened in 2013, has a cinema, petting zoo, children's centre and bowling, Tass reported.

News from © The Associated Press, 2018