Three dead and more than 50 trapped under rubble after building collapses in South Africa

A multistorey apartment building under construction collapsed on Monday in South Africa, killing three construction workers and leaving more than 50 people trapped under the rubble.

Authorities said 24 people were rescued from the site and sent to hospitals in the municipality of George city, about 400km east of Cape Town.

“Seventy-five members of construction crew have been confirmed on-site at that time of the incident,” the head of the provincial Western Cape government, Alan Winde said.

The incident happened just after 2pm local time.

More than 100 emergency personnel arrived at the site to work through the night, using sniffer dogs to find survivors.

Cranes and other heavy lifting equipment were sent to help with the rescue effort and more emergency responders were being brought in from nearby towns and cities.

Rescue workers on site were trying to recall where they heard calls from people, George executive mayor Leon van Wyk told the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

A general view of a collapsed building in George, South Africa. AFP

Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident and a case has been opened by the police.

“Our thoughts are with the families and all those affected who continue to wait on word of their loved ones,” Mr van Wyk said.

The provincial Western Cape government said it was closely monitoring the situation and had sent resources to assist with the emergency response.

“All the necessary support has been offered to emergency personnel to expedite their response,” Mr Winde said. “At the moment, officials are focused on saving lives. This is our top priority at this stage.”

The national government was being briefed on the rescue operation.