Estonian rescue spokesman says 10 children were killed in orphanage fire in western Estonia

TALLINN, Estonia – An Estonian rescue spokesman says 10 children were killed in an orphanage fire on Sunday in western Estonia.

There were 37 children and nine adults inside the wooden building when the fire started at 2:30 p.m.in the coastal town of Haapsalu, said Viktor Saaremets, a spokesman for the Western Estonia Rescue Services Center.

"By the time rescue workers and firefighters arrived at the scene three or four minutes later the building was completely in flames," he said.

Ten children were killed and one adult was injured, Saaremets said. The others were evacuated to a nearby building and were not hurt, he said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.

"Fire safety inspectors went there in January and found that the building met all the necessary criteria," Saaremets said.