WATCH | One dead, 22 rushed to hospital after building under construction collapses in George

• A building under construction collapsed in George on Monday afternoon.
• Around 70 construction crew were on site at the time.
• So far, one body has been retrieved from the debris and 22 people have been rushed to hospitals in the Western Cape.

At least one person died and 22 people were injured after a building under construction collapsed in Victoria Street, George, in the Western Cape on Monday afternoon.

CCTV footage in the vicinity shows the building collapsing around 14:09, with a huge cloud of dust billowing upwards.

"An inquest docket was opened after the body of a man was retrieved from the debris," said Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Christopher Spies.

The municipality said 22 people were retrieved from the site and sent to hospitals throughout the province.

Approximately 70 construction crew members were present at the time of collapse.

"Currently, the rescue operation remains under way, with over 80 rescue personnel on site," the municipality said on Monday evening.

It said 53 emergency personnel were on their way from the City of Cape Town and Worcester Disaster Services. 

Wouter Kriel, the spokesperson for Local Government MEC Anton Bredell, said the support on the way included three heavy crane trucks, heavy lifting and technical equipment, and a structural collapse vehicle.

"Rescue effort will be able to continue throughout the night."

Bredell was on his way to the scene. 

George municipality spokesperson Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe said the collapsed structure was a building next to the municipality.

"The structure was about a four to five-storey building. It looked like a block of flats."

The construction site where many workers were injured. (Supplied/Gift of the Givers)

"A municipal official will be on hand in front of this building to collect any contributions and distribute it to the service officials.

"Family and friends of the construction workers involved in the incident are being given space to gather at the foyer of the main municipal building and will be assisted."

Herman Pieters, of the Garden Route District Municipality, said firefighters had been dispatched to assist.

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Gift of the Givers representative in George, Mario Ferreira, said their team arrived about two hours after the collapse.

"Rescue teams are battling to remove more injured persons from the rubble. We don't know the reason for the collapse. It is a five-storey building that collapsed while workers were inside.

"We are arranging a soup kitchen. Our rescue team is on standby in Cape Town, waiting to be called."

Rescue teams at the construction site where many workers were injured. (Supplied/Gift of the Givers)

The Western Cape government is closely monitoring, and will be sending resources to assist the emergency response.

Premier Alan Winde and relevant provincial ministers were being briefed on the incident.

"All the necessary support has been offered to emergency personnel to expedite the response. Now, officials are focused on saving lives. This is our top priority at this stage," Winde said.

He urged the public to allow emergency services officials the space to carry out their duties, and not put their own lives at risk by travelling to the site.