Moscow: At least two people died and several others were injured after a gas explosion rocked an apartment building in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk, officials said on Monday.

The explosion occurred at around 1.00 a.m. A part of the 10-storey apartment building collapsed in the blast, said the Emergencies Ministry in a statement.

Ten people were rescued from the debris and 16 people were evacuated from the building, the Ministry was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.