Three Bangladeshi workers died while two were seriously injured when an under-construction warehouse collapsed on Tuesday night, said police.

The incident occurred at 9:58pm in Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas, reports Bernama.

The injured workers were sent to Penang Hospital for treatment, while four are believed to have been buried under the rubble.

As of 9 am today, a search and rescue operation is still being carried out by the Fire and Rescue Department with assistance from other agencies, including the police and the Civil Defence Force.

The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has issued an immediate stop work order to the developer, engineer and architect of the warehouse construction project.

MBPP Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said this was to facilitate the rescue operation and the investigation carried out by the authorities.

Meanwhile, Bayan Lepas assemblyman Datuk Azrul Mahathir Aziz, who also visited the site, called for strict action to be taken against those responsible if negligence is found to have caused the incident.