MOSCOW, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers have recovered the body of the seventh victim from the rubble following the explosion in an apartment building in Russia's Saratov region, Yuri Yurin, head of the regional security department, said on Saturday.

The Russian Investigative Committee clarified that investigators have examined the body of the seventh victim, who lived in the building where the gas explosion occurred.

According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, 16 people have sought medical help, and the fate of four more people, including a child, remains unknown.

A gas explosion occurred at a 10-story apartment building on Friday, destroying the corner entrance from the seventh to the tenth floor. The findings so far suggest that the preliminary cause of this explosion is a gas leak, local authorities said.

A state of emergency has been declared in the region. The clearing of the rubble continues.

Investigators have opened a criminal case under the article on the provision of services that do not meet safety requirements. The local governor has declared July 26 as a day of mourning in the region. ■