Rescue efforts were underway after three people were killed and dozens remained trapped after a multi-storey building under construction collapsed in the South African city of George, authorities said.

A report on a deadly building fire in South Africa that killed 76 people blames city authorities for neglecting safety concerns at the building for years prior.

A team of 75 crew were on the site when the building collapsed on Monday. The cause of the incident in the coastal city is being investigated. The building crumbled at 14:09 local time (12:09 GMT), Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said.