HOHHOT - A restaurant collapse on Wednesday evening left three people dead in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, local authorities and rescuers said Thursday.

The accident occurred at 7 pm in the regional capital of Hohhot while more than 20 workers were renovating the restaurant. Twenty-three people have been pulled from the debris since the accident occurred, rescuers said.

The restaurant belongs to Bayantala, a three-star hotel in the city.

Roof overloading caused by illegal renovation and heavy rains contributed to the accident, according to one investigator at the site.