Four children and two adults dead as people jump from burning windows of Kemerovo shopping centre

At least four children and two adults died in a shopping mall fire in Russia - as people were shown jumping from burning windows. 

Unconfirmed reports said eight children and three adults were killed. 

Among nine injured were two children. 

The horrific scene was at the 'Winter Cherry' shopping centre in Kemerovo, Siberia. 

Several people were showing on videos jumping from high windows with black smoke pouring out. 

It is understood they were adults not children. 

One smashed into an awning over a door on the way down as onlookers screamed, and is believed to have died.

Another also jumped and was reported by witnesses to have survived caught by people below. 

Afterwards the emergency services were seen in attendance.

An evacuation as underway at the scene.

Reports said 20 were rescued from the burning building, and 100 evacuated. 

Parents were seen on videos ushering their children away. 

The fire covered 1500 square metres. 

A children’s attraction in the centre is reported to have caught fire. 

Police sealed off the shopping centre. 

Eyewitness Alexander Dorogov said: 'Two floors went up in smoke in five minutes.

'The children’s play area in the centre was engulfed smoke in two minutes.

'The smoke was so thick that you couldn’t see a stretched out hand.

'When firefighters came, two people had already jumped out of windows. 

'We found some carpet to hold out and  catch one of them.'

There were fears the burned shopping centre could collapse.

Earlier reports said children died from “gas poisoning” in the mall.

'Four children corpses have been found in a children's area during the rescue operations,' said the Russian Investigative Committee which probes serious crime. 

A criminal investigation has been launched. 

Fifteen fire teams including 60 firemen were at the  scene of the accident.

Two of the injured were hospitalised with fractures and the rest with smoke poisoning.

Some 1500 square metres of the mall was ablaze. 

Around 1,000 were in the mall when the blaze engulfed shoppers