No casualties in Russia's market fire

MOSCOW - A fire broke out at one of Moscow's biggest art and flea markets in a suburb around midnight Tuesday and severely damaged a building, the Emergency Situations Ministry said Wednesday.

The blaze engulfed some 1,000 square meters of a three-story wooden building at the Izmailovsky market, Itar-Tass news agency quoted the authorities as saying.

Since the market was not open for business at night, the fire caused no casualties, said the emergency authorities. Previous reports said one person was killed and 11 others were injured in the blaze.

Firefighters worked two hours to put the fire under control. An investigation is under way.

Located in a northern suburb of Moscow, the market is a popular destination for foreign visitors with its renowned local souvenirs and traditional Russian handicrafts.