Nine die in nursing home blaze

Nine elderly people died in a fire in a nursing home that may have been started by a resident setting himself on fire, Russian emergency officials said.

A spokeswoman for the regional Emergencies Ministry, Daria Korovina, said the fire in Tver 125 miles north of Moscow forced the evacuation of about 480 people early today.

Ms Korovina said investigators found a canister of flammable liquid in the room where the fire started.

The discovery led to speculation the resident set himself ablaze.