A block of holiday flats in the Los Cristianos area of Tenerife, Canary Islands, collapsed this morning around 09.30h.
At present it is not known how many people are trapped or killed but a specialized military unit for disaster situations (UME) is helping local fire services to search the rubble for survivors.
The block of flats, besides permanent residents, also includes flats rented out to tourists.
It is not known what caused the 5-storey building to collapse, but there has recently been building work carried out there, although it has been suspended for some time. Locals reported a strong smell of gas after the collapse, but nobody reported an explosion before the collapse.
The photos that accompany this article show the building before and after the incident.
21:26h Update: two dead, three injured and eight missing. The rubble is being cleared by hand as rapidly as possible.
(News: Tenerife, Canary Islands)