Inferno engulfs warehouse of major Russian online retailer (VIDEO)

A huge fire has engulfed a warehouse of Russia’s leading e-commerce platform Ozon near Moscow, with hundreds of people forced to flee the site.

The blaze spans an area of 55,000 square meters, according to the emergency services. Around 1,000 people have been evacuated from the burning facility.

Videos from the scene circulating on social media have captured a massive pall of thick black smoke coming from the warehouse and rising high into the air. According to some reports, the roof of the building has collapsed because of the blaze.

One person has died as a result of the blaze, while 13 others are injured, the emergencies services told RIA Novosti news agency. Earlier reports suggested there were only a few hospitalizations, with most of the patients receiving treatment on site.

Dozens of fire trucks and ambulances have been rushed to the scene, with Russia's Emergency Situations ministry also using aviation to tackle the blaze. Helicopters have been filmed dropping water onto the burning warehouse.

The Ozon warehouse building can no longer be saved, according to Moscow region Governor Andrey Vorobyov.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case over the alleged provision of unsafe services by the retailer, which allegedly resulted in the blaze.

Petrovskoe village, which hosts the ill-fated warehouse, is located some 40 kilometers west of Moscow.

Ozon is one of the largest online retailers in the country, with some 25.6 million active clients last year. The company is sometimes referred to as ‘Russia’s Amazon.’