Three killed as as building collapses in Italy

Rome: An apartment building collapsed early Saturday in southern Italy, killing three people in their sleep, police said.

Police said the building fell apart after 1am in Afragola, a small town near Naples.

The victims include a married couple and an elderly woman, said the deputy chief of Naples police, Paolo Iodice. Contradicting earlier statements, police said the woman's granddaughter, a 10-year-old girl, was still alive under the rubble and that rescuers were trying to pull her out.

Iodice said the girl was conscious and was talking to rescuers.

The couple were caught in their bed, their bodies found hugging each other, the ANSA news agency said.

The cause of the collapse was not immediately known. It was not clear if more people were missing.