Moscow  - At least five students were killed when a school stairwell collapsed, a spokesman for the Russian Civil Defence Ministry said Wednesday.

There were eight people, including teachers, still feared trapped in the rubble.

The accident happened in the district of Orenburg, some 1,500 kilometres south-east of Moscow.

The children who died were 11th graders.

The state prosecution service was conducting an investigation.

It was suspected that the accident was the result of poor construction. (dpa)