Russia mall fire kills at least five, 25 remain missing

A fire and subsequent collapse of a shopping mall in Russia has left five people dead and 25 others missing, but presumed dead, local officials said Thursday.

The number of missing people is based on reports from relatives and workers at the mall in Kazan, located an estimated 450 miles east of Moscow. Forty people were reportedly injured in the blaze.

Regional emergency services head Igor Panshin was quoted by the Tass news agency as saying "the hope of finding survivors under the shopping center debris has been abandoned."

The cause of the fire, which began Wednesday, has not been determined. The epicenter of the blaze was a cafe in the two-story building.

Panshin said that the building had not been equipped with fire safety and smoke control systems, according to local media.

The last time the facility had been inspected at the demand of Tatarstan Prosecution Office because of multiple safety breaches was in the autumn of 2014, he added.

Al Jazeera and wire services