Russia apartment collapse death toll rises to 33, including children

A three-year-old girl is the latest confirmed death from the Russian apartment building collapse, which has killed 33 people.

Many residents were asleep when a blast tore through their apartment block in Magnitogorsk, Russia. Source: AP

Search crews in Russia have pulled more bodies from a huge pile of rubble where part of an apartment building collapsed, bringing the known death toll to 33 and the number of missing residents down to eight.

A three-year-old girl was among the latest victims of the collapse in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk, Russian news agencies reported, citing the Russian emergencies ministry.

Emergency workers at the scene of a collapsed section of an apartment building in Russia. Source: AP

The people found dead since the Monday morning collapse so far include six children.

An 11-month-old boy who brought a burst of hope when he was discovered alive on Tuesday, nearly 36 hours after the collapse, is in serious but stable condition at a Moscow children's hospital

Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said the infant suffered superficial head wounds but no apparent brain damage.

The collapse of part of a ten-storey Russian apartment building was apparently caused by a gas leak. (AAP) Source: AAP

Monday's pre-dawn accident came after an explosion that officials say was likely caused by a gas leak.