NANCHANG, Feb. 26 -- One person was killed after a residential building collapsed in east China's Jiangxi province on Friday afternoon, local sources said.

Eight others have been rescued, with one suffering injuries, said rescuers, adding that it is unclear how many are still missing.

The accident happened at around 2:18 p.m. in Xinxueqian Alley of Anyuan District, Pingxiang City, when the upper part of the six-storey building crumbled. Six families were living on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors.

The building was constructed in 1983, with about 30 households living in it currently. Huang Yongqing, one of the ground floor shop owners, told Xinhua that "there have been house renovations on the fourth floor recently."

"An old building like this cannot bear such renovations," Huang said.

A woman surnamed Liu said her uncle might still be trapped inside the ruins.

"My uncle lives on the fourth floor," she said. "I am unable to contact him."

Rescue work continues at the site.