HOHHOT - Firefighters have pulled 23 people out of the debris of a restaurant that collapsed Wednesday evening in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, a local government spokesman said.

Firefighters at the scene said they have detected signs of life from three people trapped under the debris.

More than 20 workers were renovating the second floor of the restaurant when the collapse occurred at 7:00 p.m. in the regional capital of Hohhot, rescuers said.

The cause of the collapse is under investigation.