GUANGZHOU - A building under construction partly collapsed in South China's Guangdong province Tuesday, killing six people and injuring seven others, rescuers said.

Firefighters search through the debris for people buried under a collapsed building at a construction site in Shanwei, Guangdong province, Nov 22, 2011. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

The collapse happened at about 4 pm in the city of Shanwei, burying a total of 13 people, a spokesman with the Shanwei fire-fighting squad said.

Those who were injured were rushed to hospital after being pulled out of the debris, and six had died by 9 pm, the spokesman said.

The building is being built as a training center of a bank, and construction on nine stories had been completed, he said.

The collapse happened from the fourth story to the ninth story, he said.

Local authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, he added.