Nine children die in Kazakhstan house fire

Twelve people, including nine children, were killed overnight in a house fire in southern Kazakhstan, the Tengrinews news agency reported on Tuesday.

Three people were rescued unconscious from the burning building, the agency said, citing the emergency services.

The incident occurred in Algabas, a village in the far south of the Central Asian country. The nearest major city is the Uzbek capital Tashkent, some 100 kilometres away.

The flames reportedly engulfed a two-storey residential building. Neighbours said many guests had been in the house after a party, Tengrinews reported.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered an investigation into the cause of the fire and promised support for the bereaved families.