He said 64 is the final figure, and included six people still buried under the rubble.
The preliminary findings of an inquiry said the fire started in one of the cinemas and destroyed more than 1,000 square metres (1,200 square yards) of the center, news agencies reported.
The local office of Russias emergency services ministry said the fire broke out on the top floor of the four-storey mall, causing floors and the roof to collapse.
Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said at the scene that the most seriously injured person was an 11-year-old boy who jumped from the top floor to escape the fire, which killed all his family, but there were hopes for his survival.
She said an 18-year-old boy was also seriously injured from jumping from the top floor, while nine other people were suffering from smoke inhalation.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="555"]
People lay flowers for the victims of a fire in a shopping center in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, about 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) east of Moscow, Russia, March 26, 2018. (Photo by AP)[/caption]On Monday, more than 500 firefighters were struggling to break down walls and clear rubble amid smoke-filled air and high temperatures, deploying drones.
Russias Investigative Committee said it had opened a criminal inquiry and four people, including the tenant renting the premises where the fire broke out and the head of the company that manages the mall, had been arrested.
President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences and ordered the minister of emergency services to fly to the scene, the Kremlin said.
Around 120 people had been evacuated from the burning centre, rescuers said on Sunday.
This shopping center on several floors was packed with people midday Sunday. No one knows exactly how many people there were inside when the fire broke out, Alexander Yeremeyev, an official with the local Russian emergency services ministry, said in a statement.
"Where to look for people? How many are there? That has greatly complicated the work of the firefighters, he said, adding that the thick smoke was also hindering their task.
Some 300 firefighters and rescue personnel were rushed to the scene and the fire was brought under control late in the night, local emergency officials said.
It was the deadliest blaze in Russia in recent years.
