Brazil factory collapse: Eight killed as search for victims in rubble continues after Sao Paulo tragedy

26 people escaped or were pulled out alive

At least eight people have been killed in Brazil's biggest city after a commercial building under construction collapsed.

Around 60 firefighters are searching the rubble for survivors as 26 people escaped or were pulled out alive following the collapse of the two-story building in Sao Paulo. At least seven of those were in critical condition at hospitals, authorities said.

An official investigation is under way to determine the cause of the accident.

The building was under construction at the time in the country's economic capital with an estimated 11 million residents.

"The work of finding victims requires patience and a skilled search," said Captain Marcos Palumbo of the fire department. "The number of deaths is likely to rise. It's a situation full of risk and difficult access. The teams haven't had more contact with anybody else under the rubble."

Rescue workers used sledge hammers to open holes in the ruins while others carried out sheets of metal roofing by hand. Dogs were brought in to help find victims.