Astana, Sep 13 (RIA Novosti) At least 38 people were killed in a fire that broke out in a drug abuse clinic in southern Kazakhstan, authorities said Sunday.

The fire started early Sunday at the narcological dispensary in the town of Taldykorgan, the administrative centre of the Almaty province.

The blaze engulfed an area of 650 square meters, the Central Asian republic's emergencies ministry said.

'According to preliminary data, 38 died at the scene of the fire while 40 people were evacuated,' the ministry said.

The fire was localised an hour after it broke out, the ministry said.

Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov has ordered setting up of a special commission to investigate the cause of the fire.

--RIA Novosti

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