Eight killed in fire at migrant worker cabins near Moscow

At least eight people died Tuesday after a fire swept through cabins housing migrant workers at a greenhouse facility outside Moscow, Russian news agencies reported.

The fire at the facility in the Ramensky district southeast of Moscow broke out in the early hours, agencies quoted the emergencies ministry as saying.

The fire spread over 240 square metres (2,600 square feet) through metal cabins housing the workers, RIA Novosti and TASS reported.

Interfax quoted the ministry as saying all the dead were citizens of the ex-Soviet Central Asian nation of Tajikistan.

It was unclear how many workers were living in the complex. The ministry said the fire was under control and that an investigation had been opened.

Millions of migrant workers from Central Asia live in Russia, where they often perform menial jobs for low pay under lax safety conditions.