Four killed in Moscow building collapse

Four men have been killed and a number are reported trapped under the rubble after the ceilings and walls of a six-storey apartment building collapsed in central Moscow.

The building on Starokonyushenny Pereulok, near Moscow’s Old Arbat, a popular tourist destination, collapsed at about 3 pm on Wednesday.

Emergency services say eight people have been pulled out from under the debris, and two have been taken to hospital.

One person has been confirmed dead and two others are believed trapped, said Yevgeny Bobylyov, a spokesman for the city’s emergency services.

Rescuers say the building was undergoing renovation, and no one was living there at the time of the collapse.

It was not immediately clear if the casualties were building workers.

Police say they will investigate whether building regulations were broken.