A three-story residential building collapse in the Egyptian capital killed 10 people and injured eight more Monday, with several others believed to be missing under the rubble, state media reported.

Ambulances were dispatched to the scene in the working-class neighbourhood of Kerdasa, in the western part of Greater Cairo, where civil defence teams searched for people thought to be missing under the rubble, according to the Al-Akhbar Al-Youm newspaper.

Eyewitnesses told the state-owned outlet that "a gas cylinder explosion" caused the collapse, and a police investigation was underway.

Giza Gov. Adel al-Naggar ordered the immediate evacuation of nearby buildings as a safety measure, according to a statement released by the Giza governorate on Facebook.

The governorate received alerts at 5 a.m. local time about the building's collapse. Security and forensic teams were investigating the collapse.

Building regulations are unevenly enforced in the sprawling metropolis of Cairo, home to over 26 million people.

The city has seen many deadly building collapses in recent years, both due to the dilapidated state of some and, at times, failure to comply with building regulations.

Cairo, home to over 26 million people, has struggled with inconsistent enforcement of building regulations, leading to a growing number of deadly collapses in recent years. Many of the incidents have been attributed to the deteriorating condition of older buildings and non-compliance with safety standards.