Almaty/Moscow  - At least 38 people died Sunday in a fire at a drug clinic in the south of the central Asian republic of Kazakhstan, local media reported.

The cause of the fire, which broke out in the city of Talkykurgan near the capital Almaty, was as of yet unknown, media quoted Kazakh authorities as saying.

Around 40 of the clinic's patients and personnel were rescued from the fire, which had spread over an area of 650 square metres.

Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov announced the formation of a state commission to investigate the fire. (dpa)