Berlin, Nov 27 (IANS): At least 14 people died and seven injured in southern Germany after a fire broke out at a workshop, having disabled people as employees, police said Monday.

The blaze occurred in a workshop, which employs some 120 mentally-or physically-handicapped workers for jobs in metal and wood processing or electrical assembly, at the small town of Titisee-Neustadt, in the Black Forest in Germany, Xinhua reported.

Three others were reported missing after the blaze, police said.

The fire could be put out after a major deployment of fire and rescue services was called in from all neighbouring regions in an intensive operation. But the cause of the fire still remained unknown, said a police spokesperson.

According to earlier reports, police said the fire was caused by an explosion in a storage room, while investigation on the cause of the explosion was still underway.

There were some 50 people working inside the workshop at the time of accident.