Three bodies were found Tuesday beneath an apartment block that collapsed while under construction in the Guinean capital Conakry, rescue services said, adding that two other people were missing.

The building, intended for social housing, collapsed on Monday afternoon in the southern suburb of Matoto.

Rescue teams recovered three bodies nearly 24 hours after the accident, Togba Isaac Kolie, head of the Civil Protection Service, told AFP.

Efforts to locate two missing people are continuing, although there was no sign they were still alive, he said.

Earlier, a local elected official and a worker who witnessed the accident said six people were missing after the collapse, comprising five workers and a child.

The accident happened as the construction team was starting to add the building's sixth floor, the worker said.

Building collapses are a frequent event in the West African state. Kickbacks by owners to sidestep construction standards and inspections are among the suspected causes.