JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was confirmed dead and 11 others were rescued after a multi-story building under construction atop a temple collapsed Friday in Durban, South Africa, local authorities said.

The incident occurred at around 12:40 p.m. local time (1040 GMT), and emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene, said Thulasizwe Buthelezi, an official of the KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

"Sadly, one person has passed away," he said, adding that the rescued -- two women and nine men -- were transported to the hospital for medical care.

Prem Balram, an official with Reaction Unit South Africa, a security and emergency response company, said that the building appeared to be three or four stories high and served as an extension of the temple.

One surviving construction worker said his employer is among those trapped under the rubble.

Preliminary reports indicated that the temple was fully functional and another structure was being constructed on top of it.

The local eThekwini Municipality said in a statement that the construction appeared to be unauthorized, with no approved building plans. ■