At least five students were killed and three others injured after falling from the fourth floor of a building at the Public University of El Alto (UPEA) in western Bolivia on Tuesday when a balcony crush led to a railing collapsing. 

"So far we have the report of 5 dead people and 3 people in intensive care after what happened at the #UPEA facilities" near the city of La Paz, Minister of Government Carlos Eduardo Del Castillo wrote on Twitter.

"I have just instructed the Chief of Police, Jhonny Aguilera, to go to the site to make a full report of what happened," Del Castillo added.

The accident took place in the university’s financial sciences building, where students were gathered to attend an assembly. At least eight people are reported to have fallen.

Video posted on social media showed a large group of students gathered on a crowded balcony when the railing gives way and students fall, some to their deaths.