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MOSCOW — Thousands of Russians took to the main square of a Siberian city Tuesday to confront local officials after a shopping mall fire killed at least 64 people, most of the children.

Just days after being re-elected, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the scene in Kemerovo and blamed the deaths on "a criminal negligence, sloppiness." He did not address the rally, which went on for at least six hours.

"How could this possibly happen? What's the reason?" Putin said at a meeting with the task force dealing with the fire, according to comments distributed by his press office.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a memorial to victims of the shopping mall blaze. Alexei Druzhinin / Sputnik via AFP - Getty Images

The blaze engulfed the Winter Cherry mall on Sunday, trapping dozens of parents and children inside. Witnesses reported that fire alarms were silent and many doors were locked. Some victims were children who died in a locked movie theater.

Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov said 58 bodies had been recovered and that the rescue workers were searching for six more. Emergency officials told the Tass news agency that 41 of the victims were children.

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On Monday, investigators said a criminal investigation was launched. Putin declared Wednesday a day of national mourning.