Hotel building collapses in Argentina

A 10-storey hotel building has collapsed in Argentina, trapping people in the wreckage.

Rescue teams are currently working to remove debris after part of the Dubrovnik hotel in the coastal city of Villa Gesell, in Buenos Aires province, collapsed at around 1am local time, the local council said.

Between seven and nine people, including workers from a construction site, were thought to be inside at the time.

Emergency services, including firefighters and police, are working on the scene, a statement released by Villa Gesell municipality said.

“The municipality of Villa Gesell requests that residents and the media be cautious with any information they may circulate,” it said.

“These are key moments in which work is being done to prevent the loss of human lives.”

The local council said construction workers are believed to have been working on a project that was being carried out without municipal permits.

It said the project had been halted by the council in August of this year.

“At this time, although it is not possible to speak with any exact details about the collapse, it can be confirmed that the structure in the collapsed part (the rear part) would have been modified illegally and irregularly,” the local council added.