At least 14 people were killed in Egypt on Wednesday when an Alexandria apartment block collapsed.

The eight-storey building in a working class district of the Mediterranean city came crashing down just before 7 am local time.

Residents said the building was home to more than 30 people.

Rescue workers were using mechanical diggers and their bare hands to search for survivors and bodies in the rubble.

Building collapses are relatively common in Egypt due to lax building standards and poor maintenance.