At least 12 people have been killed in an explosion at a petrol station in Dagestan in southern Russia.

The blast occurred in regional capital Makhachkala, which sits on the coast of the Caspian Sea, at 21:40 local time (19:40 BST).

A further 60 people were injured while, according to one unconfirmed Russian report quoting doctors, the death toll could be as high as 25.

Some 260 emergency workers have been deployed, as has an aircraft to evacuate the seriously injured to Moscow, the ministry said.

Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted doctors as saying three children were among the dead.

An unnamed witness quoted by Russian newspaper Izvestia said the fire had started on a car lot opposite the petrol station.