(Reuters) -A fire at a gas station in the southern Russian region of Dagestan killed at least 27 people including three children, Interfax news agency reported early on Tuesday citing regional emergency medics.

The fire started at an auto repair shop on the roadside of a highway in Dagestani capital Makhachkala on Monday night and caused blasts as it spread to a nearby gas station, officials said.

Footage posted online showed a one-storey building ablaze, Reuters TV reported.

"It's like a war here," a witness said.

At least 66 people were injured, of whom 10 were in a critical condition, Russian deputy health minister Vladimir Fisenko said giving an update on casualties, RIA news agency reported.

Thirteen of the wounded were children, Interfax reported citing the Dagestani health ministry.

It took fire fighters more than 3-1/2 hours to put out the fire that spread into an area of 600 square metres (715 square yards), TASS reported, citing a statement from the Russian emergency service.

(Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova and Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Chris Reese, Muralikumar Anantharaman & Simon Cameron-Moore)