Moscow, Sep 8 (IANS) At least two people were killed and five injured in a household gas blast in a Moscow suburb on Wednesday, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The second, third and part of the fourth floors of a nine-storey residential building collapsed during the explosion in the town of Noginsk, the Moscow Region, and 24 apartments were damaged.

More than 170 people have been evacuated. It is not known yet if there are still people under the rubble. Search and rescue operations are underway, Xinhua news agency reported.

--IANS int/shs/bg