Local authorities said building work at the hotel had been halted in August on the orders of the municipality, because the renovations were being carried out without the proper permits.
However, neighbours told journalists that work on the building had been continuing in defiance of the suspension order.
Argentina’s national security minister, Patricia Bullrich, posted on X, external that two specialised teams had been sent to the scene, which is in Buenos Aires province.
She said that structural engineers, rescue specialists and a dog team trained in collapsed buildings were attending, as well as personnel equipped with specialist machinery and resources to help the rescue effort.
The province’s own security minister, Javier Alonso, told local radio that four bricklayers working on the site had escaped the collapse and had been detained by police.
