At least eight people died Wednesday when a building collapsed in the coastal Egyptian city of Alexandria, according to a security official.

Additionally, one woman was injured in the collapse. It was unknown how many people might still be buried in the rubble, the official told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The collapse of the five-storey building may have been caused by poor construction that allowed more floors to be added to the building than the structure could support.

Building collapses are common in Alexandria, the most populous Arab country.

Low-quality materials are often used in housing unit construction for the rapidly growing population.