Powerful blast kills 8 in Iraq's Basra

Basra: An explosion has destroyed a house in Basra and rescue workers were trying to pull out bodies from the debris, Iraqi police said on Monday.

Eight people were killed in the explosion overnight, which residents believed was caused by a US air strike.

Television footage showed relatives wailing in grief and children picking through the rubble.

British forces responsible for US-British military activity in the area, denied any role in the blast.

"Coalition and Iraqi security forces were not involved in the incident," they said in a statement.